Twilight of Shadows
by PyramidHead316
Summary: Updated! AU. A chilling vision of the future shows Anakin the nightmare that is to come. When a twist of fate exposes Palpatine for who he is, can the Chosen One resist the dark side and fulfill his destiny? Or is his fall inevitable?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Star Wars and all related characters and settings belong to George Lucas. It's just really, really fun to play in his galaxy. My OC belongs to me, though I doubt anyone would want him. ;)

Author's Note 7/7/2006: This story has been up for a while, but last night I decided to revise and update the prologue. I wasn't fully satisfied with it since the beginning, but I was unsure how to go about improving it. I finally settled that issue, and I think the result is a much better introduction to the story. Those who've read this before may notice some subtle changes in the way my OC looks at the Republic. After his segment, I've added a scene with two very important Jedi Masters that I think may interest you very much. I can honestly say I'm much more satisfied with the prologue now.

Please read and review. Reviews feed the author. ;)

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**Prologue**

_The Galactic Senate, Coruscant _

He moved through the ornate halls of the Galactic Senate as calmly and naturally as possible, feigning that he had every right to be in this place. The clothes he wore, that of a common senatorial aide, helped him out immensely, allowing him to blend in among the countless nondescript people working behind the scenes at the Senate at any given time. Gaining access to one of the senatorial rotundas took quite a bit more work, but he had this way.

It was amazing how similar to his home society on Coruscant truly was. The technology was more advanced, the people less idiotic about certain things, but when it came to illegal activities, money still spoke volumes. He had slipped one of the Senate guards a sizable handful of credits to let him pass, along with a concocted story about the senator being unable to attend and also unable to trust his regular staff to take his place. The guard was naturally curious at the unusual situation, but he also knew when to not pass up a good opportunity. It helped that he had specifically chosen the rotunda of a Senator notorious for a string of absences from Congress, over the most trivial of matters.

Now he stood amidst a thousand galactic Senators and their aides, watching as the Supreme Chancellor granted yet another executive power by the majority of increasingly paranoid politicians.

He listened to their frenzied cheers with an air of derision. They were fools, all of them; handing over their freedoms to a man who was hell bent on subverting them, in exchange for an empire built entirely on a deranged thirst for power.

When the individual observing this disgraceful turn of events arrived in this alternate existence, he was as amazed as anyone else from his home world would have been. Oddly enough, he hadn't known that it was the Republic at first. Alien beings were countless in their multitude, as were the strangely clad humans intermixed with them. How was he supposed to know where he was? It wasn't until he caught sight of a very familiar alien that he finally pieced together his location:

A Twi'lek.

And there was only one place in existence where Twi'leks could be found.

Even so, he wasn't instantly convinced. It could be a coincidence; a strange race of aliens that somehow resembled his culture's fictional ones. So he continued to explore. One thing was aware of was the incredible fortune he'd been granted. Wherever he was, he now had a chance to observe a completely alien society, something that most scientists would kill to enjoy.

First thing first, he had to survive for the next few days. Going back and forth between his world and this one was easy, but he would learn nothing if he shied away from every little thing that made him uncomfortable.

Learning to communicate didn't turn out to be as difficult as he expected. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that the spoken language was identical to English. Written language, however, was much more of a challenge. He still hadn't picked up the strange calligraphy that passed for writing in this place. It all looked like gibberish to his eyes, and he wondered how anyone understood it with so many alien species running around.

It was hard to make himself at ease with the bizarre surroundings, at first. He was alone in an alien place, with weapons countless years less advanced. He had absolutely no idea what any of the signs or advertisements said, and it was only through careful listening and observation that he discerned which places were what.

He marveled at the endless assortment of them. Some of them were shops, others restaurants or bars, and some were ones he really didn't want to go into. Together they formed the never-ending web that comprised the planet's magnificent architecture. He felt very much like Alice, having tumbled down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.

His poker face came in handy here. Military training gave you a level of confidence few other things could match, and as experienced veteran, it was easy to pretend you were comfortable in a place where you really didn't belong. Most of the beings around him barely noticed his presence, so unless he did something absolutely stupid, he doubted he would draw attention to himself.

When he determined it was safe, he considered bringing his daughter there for a brief visit, once he was finished exploring. As someone equally disillusioned with some aspects of their world, Alessa would love this place.

So, the language and that Twi'lek…two things that hinted at his true location. Still, he refused to acknowledge the possibility. It was impossible. The galaxy where the saga took place was nothing but fiction…everybody knew that. This was a fascinating place, but where was the Empire? Where were the Jedi and their lightsabers? No matter which time period it was, there were always certain stables of the saga that made it easy to recognize and none of them were here, save for two that could easily be coincidence. It wouldn't be the first time he had seen non-human creatures that used the English language. This was an incredible alien world, but that was all it was, and he'd do better to just go home and safeguard the coordinates to this place. Who knew what would happen if someone from this place got their hands on his timer.

That feeling lasted for the better part of two days, until he caught sight of a meeting being broadcast over some kind of holographic transmission medium. He would later learn it was the HoloNet, the Republic's version of television crossed with a computer network, and the meeting was of the Senate, the governing body of the Republic itself.

And that was when he saw him, for the first time.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.

The Emperor, Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith…without a doubt, the most evil man in the history of the Galactic Republic, regardless of whatever name you called him by.

Ironic how things changed so quickly. He'd heard a few random stirrings of conflict, but because there was no sign of an Imperial presence, or any type of raging war, he'd assumed it was just the usual stuff that plagues all civilizations. Besides, he wouldn't be there much longer, so he barely thought anything of it.

Until he saw Palpatine.

That face…that pale, aged face, put everything into perspective. No longer was he just a visitor to some oddball alien planet in an alternate universe. Suddenly this place was rife with dangers. He half expected to see storm troopers marching down the street at every corner, or Star Destroyers show up suddenly in the skies. Never in a billion years would he have believed it was possible to find yourself in the goddamn Jediuniverse, and now that he was here, he sure as hell didn't want to stay there knowing Palpatine was about to bring everything crashing down. The smartest thing to do was get the hell out of there and erase the coordinates to this place so that nobody could ever follow his steps there. And for one extremely tempting moment, he considered doing just that.

Yet something held him back.

He wasn't sure what it was, only that it spoke to him with a clarity few things ever had before. Was it the Force? He doubted it. No divine power had ever shown an interest in him before; at least, no one positive. Besides, this place was doomed. If Palpatine was in power, it wouldn't be longed before the Jedi were wiped out, the Senate rendered useless, and a maniacal tyrant given control of the entire galaxy. He had no desire to get caught up in a war…he'd had enough of that on his world as it was.

But the voice was insistent. The Jedi had to be warned. Padme had to be warned. Anakin couldn't be allowed to turn. On and on it went, until he got tired of the argument raging in his mind. Was it his conscience? Probably. Like all people, sometimes that part of him was too troublesome for his own good.

One week had passed since that time. And now here he was sitting in a corner of the Galactic Senate, watching as a crazed tyrant pretended to be the most benevolent man who ever lived.

The Senate rose from their seats as the Chancellor accepted yet another emergency power, the latest in a series of moves by fearful politicians desperate to keep themselves safe from an enemy called General Grievous. He was good, the man reflected, watching as the Chancellor gracefully accepted the applause from the audience chamber. Too good; it was no wonder nobody suspected Palpatine's true nature. Had he not known for sure the man's peaceful façade was a lie, he might have believed in it himself.

He eyed the assembled beings with a mixture of pity and disbelief as the senators gullibly signed away another one of their freedoms to their future Emperor. _If they only knew what they were voting for_, he thought wryly, watching with a small measure of contempt as Palpatine humbly accepted the motion, declaring as always that he would lay down his powers as soon as the war came to an end.

As quickly as he appeared, the visitor left the rotunda he was observing from, having seen enough of this charade. Fine. He would warn the people of this world about Palpatine's duplicitous intentions; it was only right. But that was all he would do. He was a warrior, not a hero, and he had no responsibilities towards this world, or universe, or whatever one chose to call it by. If the Jedi and the senators accepted his warning, good; he wished them all the luck in the world.

And if by some chance they didn't accept his warning… well then, that was none of his business.

* * *

In the deepest recesses of the Force, the spirit of a dead Jedi Master stirred awake. For those who had passed on from the physical world, the Force was a realm beyond describing. Civilizations on countless planets held beliefs about the afterlife, yet no mortal could ever hope to imagine the unparalleled beauty, the sheer magnificence of the Force as the deceased saw it from within. It was truly the greatest aspect of all existence. 

As the Force was everywhere and everything, no being could ever hope to truly escape its influence. One way or another, the Force was always with you, surrounding you until you became one with it again.

It was believed by many beings in the universe that a person moved on from the land of the living, their soul was finally at peace, forever free from the constant struggles of daily existence. Therefore, it was to many an individual's chagrin that they discovered this was simply not the case. In fact, some would dare to say it was as far from the truth as one could possible get.

Qui-Gon Jinn was one such individual.

One of the greatest advantages of a transcendental existence was being able to look back on the world you departed from. Death was not the end; as the Jedi were fond of saying, "there is no death, there is the Force." And the Force had many layers to it. It was therefore surprising to many people when they discovered they were still able to observe the happenings of the physical world, if their will was strong enough, and they were aware of the right ways to do it.

Consequently, in their haste to keep track of their still living relatives and friends, many people also discovered that the blessing of extended sight was often times a double edged sword. And despite a very common misconception, simply because you were able to 'look down from Heaven' did not mean that you knew all and saw all. Even in death, omniscience was a truly rare gift.

It was a lesson Qui-Gon learned all too well.

Over the past several years, the late Jedi Master had learned the secret to communicating with the living world. All souls which had moved on were capable of glancing past the barriers that separated the physical world from the nether realm of the Force. Few however, could communicate effectively with the inhabitants of that place of existence without encountering one of the many obstacles in their path. It was an ancient skill that was lost to many cultures in the universe, not just those in the Republic.

And yet, despite this immense accomplishment, Qui-Gon was still no certain of the future after his death than he was before it. He was aware of some greater truths, but others remained equally as obscure. Worse, he had become highly aware of the rising darkness that was rapidly forming a veil of evil across the galaxy. Twelve years since his death had not changed the bleak situation the Republic was facing at the time of the Battle of Naboo.

Qui-Gon worried over what awaited its citizens. He worried for his old apprentice, now a renowned Master in the Jedi Order. He worried for the boy he had saved from slavery on Tatooine, now a conflicted young man who struggled with his gifts and the strict confinements of the Jedi Code. But most of all, he worried for the sake of the entire Jedi Order and the Republic itself. The Republic was crumbling with each month the Clone Wars dragged on and the Jedi had yet to make any progress in ascertaining the identity of the Sith Lord at the heart of it all.

Focusing his concentration, the Jedi was able to pierce through the shroud that divided the planes of the existence. Searching for the familiar illuminating aura that stood out like a beacon in the Force, he was not surprised Jedi Master Yoda deep in meditation. He sent the barest of whispers against Yoda's senses, alerting the great Jedi Master to his presence.

_Master Qui-Gon, heartening it is, to sense your presence this day_, Yoda responded through the Force.

_Likewise, Master Yoda, _Qui-Gon said.He hesitated. _I take it you sensed the disturbance in the Force?_

_Sensed it, I have_, Yoda confirmed. _But, unable to determine its nature, I have been._

_As have I_, Qui-Gon said, with the telepathic equivalent of a sigh. _All I can determine is that this disturbance may in fact have profound repercussions for us all. Events are already in motion._

_Does your immortality not give you higher insight? _

_The dark side clouds our vision,_ Qui-Gon responded, _as it does that of the entire Jedi Order._

_Unaware of this, we are not, Qui-Gon_. _Feel the strength of the dark side growing, we do_, Yoda stated.

_Yet still you underestimate it,_ the deceased Jedi countered. _The Sith Master is closer than you think. The dark side may obscure his identity, but I know enough to tell you he is a position to do great harm to the Order. _

_And how are we to route him out? Stretched enough as it is, our resources are. Prevent us from doing an extensive investigation, the war does. _

_You don't need an in-depth investigation to uncover the truth, Master Yoda. All you need is to trust your instincts. Look to the Senate and that which looks most suspicious. Be mindful of the living Force, Master, _Qui-Gon advised him.

Despite the gravity of the topic, the ancient Jedi could hear the mirth in his former pupil's voice.

_Need to tell me that, you do not, Master Jinn. Your former apprentice, I am not._

Qui-Gon almost laughed. He had indeed shared that mantra with Obi-Wan on many occasions throughout their time together. So much in fact that it had become one of his apprentice's most hated sayings, right after anything that implied his rebellious Master was once again going to defy the Council.

Qui-Gon released a sigh of disappointment. Yes, Obi-Wan was a stubborn one. Took after his master, many would say. Except that they were stubborn in completely opposite ways. Qui-Gon was stubborn about following his instincts and the will of the Force over the Jedi Code. Obi-Wan was stubborn about adhering to the Code, regardless of what his instincts told him.

It wasn't his fault. Like most Jedi, Obi-Wan had been raised from an early age to believe the will of the Council was equivalent to the will of the Force. The Council followed the Code and the Code was written to express the nature of what it meant to serve the Force. It was a belief that was deeply ingrained in the teachings of the Jedi, and had been that way for thousands of years. Even Qui-Gon had been lulled into that reassuring tune on certain rare occasions. Only now did he see what a fallacy that truly was. The Force was beyond mortal comprehension – it was far too celestial to ever be bound in a book of illogical, antiquated rules.

_Talk to him, you do not. Why?_ Yoda inquired, sensing the late Master's line of thought.

_I cannot,_ Qui-Gon replied, firmly yet with a sad tone. He would like nothing more than to speak to his former student once again. Unfortunately, he could not turn a blind eye to the truth. _Obi-Wan isn't ready to hear what I have to tell him. Not_ _yet._

The resolve in the ghostly voice told Master Yoda there would be no arguing with the dead Master on this one.

_What about young Skywalker?_

_Anakin doesn't need my guidance. What he needs is the faith of those around him. Including the Jedi Council._

_A difficult thing to give that is, Qui-Gon. Very troublesome, the boy's actions are. Aggressive and ambitious, he is. Too much so for a Jedi Knight. _

_Be that as it may, you must be patient with him. He _is_ the Chosen One, Master Yoda, I know it. But he will not fulfill his destiny if the Council is too afraid of him to give the chance. They must acknowledge him as a true Knight of the Order, not as a potential enemy to be feared. _

The ghostly voice disappeared back into the ether. Yoda's eyes opened as the ancient Jedi Master emerged from his meditative trance. He breathed out deeply, contemplating everything Qui-Gon had conferred in him. The deceased Jedi had certainly given him a lot to think about. Not for the first time he considered sharing the subject of their conversations with the other Council members.

He dismissed the idea almost immediately. The others wouldn't understand the significance of what Qui-Gon had accomplished. They would be extremely skeptical at best; some might even have the gall to wonder if the legendary Master Yoda, a staple of the Jedi Order for hundreds of years, was finally going senile from old age. Those who might believe his account, like Master Windu, would likely still be dubious of any advice given by the spirit of the maverick Jedi whose rebellions against the Council were still the stuff of Temple folklore.

Qui-Gon brought up a good point about Skywalker. Perhaps they had been too harsh on the boy. How did they expect him to serve the Jedi faithfully if they criticized him at every turn? Yoda would have to address this issue with the Council soon. He would start with Master Windu – one of Anakin's greatest critics, yet also one of the few Jedi who truly believed Anakin could be the Chosen One.

And then there was the subject of the recent disturbance in the Force. He was well aware that no one else on the Council had sensed the disturbance save for himself, which lent considerable weight to Qui-Gon's statements of the Council being blinded by the dark side. That such a disturbance could occur on Coruscant and go completely unnoticed by the rest of the Council was appalling. Never in his eight centuries of being a Jedi would Yoda have believed they could become so blind.

Until now.

Because it was happening. It had _already_ happened and unless they did something about it, the galaxy would be plunged into darkness. For as the Jedi's own power waned, their enemy's power grew. In spite of what some members the Council believed, the Dark Lord of the Sith was all too real. The chance of him becoming an unstoppable force was not one Yoda was willing to take.

Closing his eyes once more, Yoda allowed himself to settle into another session of meditation. He had much to contemplate before he spoke with Master Windu.


	2. Return to Coruscant

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas. George is the man. The big flannel man. :D

For those who might wonder, yes, Chris is a resourceful individual. But don't worry, it'll take far more than one meddling intruder to take down the Sith. Will the Jedi and the Chosen One step up to the plate? Only time will tell.

Timeframe-wise, this takes place around two and a half years into the Clone Wars. While there will be references to some major battles, some of them may seem out of place. This is intentional in order to supplement the AU setting and chain of events.

Remember, R & R folks! Or else I'll send the Pyramid Heads after you. And trust me, their bark is not worse than their bite... (laughs evilly) ;)

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**Chapter 1 – Return to Coruscant**

Over the broad cityscape of Coruscant's surface, two Jedi starfighters cruised towards the Jedi Temple.

"It's good to be home, isn't it Master?" Anakin Skywalker remarked to his former master over the com-link.

"Indeed it is, my friend," Obi-Wan Kenobi agreed.

It had been almost three months since the two Jedi had last been present on Coruscant. The Clone Wars were intensifying with every passing week. Following a disastrous battle on the planet Jabiim, the Jedi Council thought things couldn't get any worse. They were wrong. Inspired by their victory, the Separatists launched even more crusades against charter members of the Republic. At times their resources to produce battle droids seemed almost limitless. Clone forces under the command of Jedi Knights and Masters would clear a planet of the Separatist threat, only to be met with a replenished enemy force on another. Campaigns stretched on for months, with the fighting on some planets languishing in a perpetual stalemate.

Sometimes Anakin wondered if the war would ever come to an end.

Every Jedi wondered the same thing. But theirs were different reasons than Anakin's. The Jedi were meant to be peacekeepers, not soldiers. Fighting this bloody, enduring conflict was taking its toll on the entire Order, especially ones like Obi-Wan who were better suited to diplomacy than military aggression. Most Jedi longed simply to return to the tranquility of the Temple.

On some days, Anakin couldn't care less about the Temple. He had never been welcome there. From the moment Master Qui-Gon had first introduced him to the Council all those years ago, Anakin realized he wasn't wanted there. He was an outsider with a life outside the bubble of the Jedi Order. That life included a childhood where Anakin had developed 'attachments', the most important of which was to a mother who loved him and treated him like a human being when no one else would.

And that did not sit well with the rigid confines of the Jedi Code.

That didn't mean Anakin held no love for the Jedi. On the contrary, despite the clear disdain many in the Order held for him, he had managed to carve out a few close friendships with other Jedi. Some of them were fellow Padawans he respected, like Barriss Offee, Darra Thel-Thanis, and Serra Keto. Shaak Ti was one of the few Masters who genuinely seemed to care for him. With her warm and gentle demeanor, she was almost motherly in the way she dealt with the younger Jedi. Sometimes it was hard for Anakin to be reminded of his own mother when talking to Shaak Ti. And of course, there was Obi-Wan.

What could Anakin say about his old Master? Obi-Wan annoyed the heck out of him a lot of the time, but Anakin couldn't deny he was thankful to have Kenobi in his life. The older man had served as a father figure ever since Qui-Gon's death, after which Obi-Wan defied the Council by taking Anakin as his apprentice. He was a mentor and a friend, and lately, Anakin was feeling closer to him than that. With the issue of Anakin achieving Knighthood settled, the two were well on their way to becoming like brothers.

And yet, despite the presence of those friends in the Order, Anakin still couldn't bring himself to see it as home. Not when Master Windu and Master Gallia barely hid their distaste for him during Council meetings, and Yoda stared at him with suspicious looks at every turn.

There was an old saying in the galaxy, "home is where the heart is." Anakin knew where his heart was and it wasn't in the Jedi Temple.

The two Jedi guided their fighters into the main hangar of the Temple. The hangar was deserted save for a few techs working on some of the starfighters. Few Jedi came and went now that assignments could last up to several months. Anakin was out of his ship first, followed by Obi-Wan. Artoo hopped out of Anakin's fighter too, eager as always to follow his master around.

"Not even a welcome party," Anakin scoffed.

"Now Anakin, I'm sure the Council is just extremely busy."

"What about Serra?"

"Serra just doesn't like you," Obi-Wan said sardonically. It was well known among the Temple that Anakin and Serra had a long-time rivalry. It had only gotten worse now that Anakin had been knighted while Serra was still a Padawan. They were friends and they respected each other, but there would always be a competitive tension between them.

"She's not the only one," Anakin muttered. Obi-Wan gave him a pointed look. Anakin held up his hand to forestall the inevitable lecture.

"I know, I know – the Council's just following the Code," Anakin said.

"As long as you acknowledge it," Obi-Wan sighed. "Which reminds me, I have to attend a meeting with them right now. Do you have any plans for our visit?"

"Actually, I'm going to see if I can find Shaak Ti," Anakin shrugged. Obi-Wan stared at him suspiciously.

"Anything else?"

Anakin didn't reply. Obi-Wan's suspicions were only confirmed.

"Are you going to see Senator Amidala?"

For a tense moment, Anakin was silent. "Maybe," he finally replied.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan began. Anakin cut him off.

"I know what you're going to say, Obi-Wan. I don't want to hear it."

"Well, you're going to hear it anyway. Anakin, you must try to break away from this infatuation you have for the senator," Obi-Wan stated calmly.

"It's not an infatuation," Anakin replied, incensed. His eyes flared as he longed to tell his former master that it wasn't an infatuation, it was _love_. "Pad…Senator Amidala is a friend. I fail to see why I shouldn't spend some time with her."

Obi-Wan gave him an incredulous glance. "Do I even need to list the reasons? You know attachment is forbidden by the Jedi Code, and attachment is exactly what too much time together leads to."

"Master…"

"Not to mention, Amidala is a politician and they are not to be trusted. Simply because she appears to care for you does not mean she doesn't have her own agenda."

Anakin barely restrained a growl. It was the same old bantha dung he had been hearing from Obi-Wan since they were assigned to protect Padmé roughly two and a half years ago, and he was sick and tired of it. How was it possible that his own Master, whose senses were supposedly so refined, couldn't see that Padmé was a good person who only cared about others? Anakin didn't know, but he wasn't about to stand here and let Obi-Wan question his wife's integrity.

"Obi-Wan, Padmé isn't like that! You of all people should know that. Or weren't you there with the rest of us twelve years ago on Naboo?"

Obi-Wan's expression darkened. Anakin knew deep down inside, his Master had never forgiven himself for Qui-Gon Jinn's death. It was a subject very near and painful to Obi-Wan's heart, even if he didn't admit it. For that reason, they rarely talked about the circumstances behind their first meeting and Anakin's subsequent apprenticeship to Obi-Wan. Anakin hated to bring up such painful memories, but he had to remind his Master of Padmé's selfless actions in liberating her people.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said slowly, trying to choose his words cautiously. "I am not unaware of everything Senator Amidala has done for her people. Regardless of that, she is still a politician and an exceptionally good one as well. All I ask is that you be careful around her."

Anakin breathed a deep sigh. He was never going to win this battle with his Master. Obi-Wan would always be deeply mistrustful of politicians in general, and nobody was ever going to convince him otherwise. Anakin understood his reasons, but he wished Obi-Wan would admit that there were a few genuinely good politicians in office. After all, was he not friends with Bail Organa, the Senator from Alderaan?

Sometimes Anakin found it odd that the Council would form a friendship with Organa while criticizing Anakin's own relationships with Padmé and Chancellor Palpatine. Of course, they had no idea how deep his relationship with Padmé truly was, for which he was truly thankful. However, it gnawed at him that it was perfectly acceptable for Council members to socialize with any senator they wished, yet Anakin was berated for taking so much as a shred of advice from anyone who was not a part of the Order.

But that was the Jedi Council, steeped in the same manipulations and political shenanigans that they claimed to despise. Only Obi-Wan and a couple others had any real decency.

"Fine. I'll be careful, Master," Anakin grumbled, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Could the man get any more paranoid? He turned to get back into his starfighter.

"Where are you going? I thought you said you were going to track down Master Ti?" Obi-Wan frowned.

"I was," Anakin shrugged. His quick wit rose to the surface, already armed with a good barb. "But you know, you just made such a convincing case against Padmé, I just have to check it out right away. My mind won't rest until I do!" He said with exaggerated determination.

Obi-Wan gave him a stern look. "I'd appreciate it if you don't mock your old Master, Anakin."

"Who said I'm mocking you? I believe Master Tachi does that well enough on her own," Anakin said with his customary smirk.

He had the satisfaction of seeing Obi-Wan squirm for a brief moment. The history between his Master and Siri Tachi was well known to several members of the Order, including Anakin. And while the two had long ago decided to remain only friends, there would always be a certain _tension_ between them, much like the one between Padmé and himself before they admitted their feelings for one another.

"Only in her mind, my young friend. Only in her mind," Obi-Wan smirked, attempting to cover up his momentary embarrassment with his own sharp repartee.

"I bet Siri would beg to differ."

"Siri believes a lot of things. That doesn't mean any of them are true," Obi-Way said lightly.

"Like the fact that she's gotten over a certain bearded Jedi Master?" Anakin said teasingly, matching his old Master wit for wit. Obi-Wan scowled.

"Bite your tongue, Anakin. Bite your tongue."

The two men shared a mock-glare until they broke out in laughter. The moment of levity was uplifting for both of them. It was comforting to know that despite their differences on many subjects, the camaraderie they had built over their years together had yet to be broken. With so many from the Order lost in the turbulence of the war, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi knew their friendship was not something to be taken for granted.

"Well, I better get to the Council meeting," Obi-Wan said.

"I should get going too," Anakin nodded. He climbed into the cockpit of his customized Delta-7 starfighter. Just before he closed the hatch, Obi-Wan gave him an unreadable stare.

"Give my regards to the good senator," Obi-Wan said, the cheerfulness from before replaced with an emotionless tone.

"I will," Anakin said, his voice equally impassive.

The starfighter departed from the hanger. Obi-Wan sighed as he realized they were still in the same place they were before. Once again, the tension that came all-too-naturally for them was back, all because of a certain brown-eyed, chestnut haired Naboo senator.

It seemed the subject of Padmé Amidala was destined to always come between them.

* * *

The planet of Coruscant was widely considered to be the crown jewel of the Galactic Republic. As an ecumenopolis, the planet was literally one giant, never-ending city – a testament of magnificent proportions to how far galactic technology had come. Billions, perhaps trillions of diverse beings populated the Republic's capital, making for one of the most densely populated ecosystems, albeit a largely artificial one, in the entire galaxy. 

Yet as was inevitable for any urban region, there were places to be avoided. The lower levels of the city were a haven for criminals and other assorted dregs of the galaxy. Below them, in the deepest reaches of Coruscant's surface, dwelled nightmarish creatures – mutations that had become the stuff of numerous urban legends. And then there were the countless abandoned buildings scattered throughout the planet; sections of the planet-wide settlement that had inevitably fallen into disrepair after the desertion of their previous occupants.

Such was the area next to the thriving Fobosi District, where elite business magnates gathered to map out their plans for the future of the Republic's commerce.

They called it The Works. An enormous center of industry for a multitude of companies, the region had lain abandoned since those companies departed from the planet purely for financial reasons. Since that time, few sentient beings ever ventured into The Works, save for the same class of unsavory characters who inhabited Coruscant's underworld, and the occasional misguided developer who sought to wipe the slate clean, so to speak, and salvage the area for future use.

Alas, all attempts at salvage had failed and The Works was still a derelict industrial wasteland. The sky was perpetually clouded with a grim layer of smog that still rose from numerous smokestacks, and the surface on which most structures were built was such that one could get lost in the maze of fissures and passageways and never be heard from again. Only the truly brave or the truly foolish would dare to travel into such an unwelcome environment. Some would say there was little difference between the two when it came to The Works.

It was a perfect place for Darth Sidious to call home.

Yeas ago when his master plan for the galaxy was in its infancy, the Sith Lord had appropriated a facility in the region as his own. He knew that there was a certain image he would be expected to uphold as a public servant, one that would leave little time for traveling to the worlds were the dark side was strongest in the galaxy. As such he would need a place on Coruscant away from prying eyes, where he could relinquish the guise of an elected official and reveal his true self without fear of compromising his position in the public eye.

The LiMerge Power building was the answer, and since that time, it had served the dark Master well. It was the perfect hiding place from his role as a public servant and more importantly, from the eyes and ears of his mortal enemies. From here he could orchestrate the events of the galaxy while remaining safely out of reach from the Jedi. There was a secret passageway that led to his 'other' home over in the Senate District. Most ironic of all, the building was within relatively nearby distance to the Jedi's own headquarters on Coruscant, the vaunted Jedi Temple.

Darth Sidious stared from the window of his quarters in the facility. His face bore no emotion as he gazed unmoving at the bleak landscape outside. Something was wrong. He wasn't sure what, but he had sensed a disturbance in the Force earlier on in his daily meditations, and now he sensed that same disturbance again.

What puzzled him most was that there was nothing overtly amiss. Everything seemed to be running smoothly. There was just one single detail that didn't fit. Its exact nature eluded him at the moment. All he could sense was that something had changed, and possibly not for the better.

Sidious wasn't a fool. He knew this merited investigation. However, he also realized this newfound mystery would not be solved in a matter of hours. More time would be required to pierce the shroud surrounding the disturbance.

Very well. He would carry on with his dual role at the heart of the Clone Wars, while he investigated the disturbance whenever possible. He would not inform his apprentice of this development, though. Not until he was ready. As the Master, it was necessary to keep the appearance of omniscience, lest Tyranus get illusions of challenging him.

He was certain of one thing. Anyone who dared to oppose him directly would be crushed.

He would make sure of that.

* * *

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in the center of the Council chamber, surrounded by the chairs for each of the Council's twelve members. 

Not all of the High Council members were present. Several seats were vacant, while some had been set up with holoprojectors so that the Masters could participate in the meeting via hologram. Physically in the room were Master Yoda, Adi Gallia, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin. Attending via hologram were Mace Windu, Plo Koon, and Kit Fisto.

"The Separatists have retreated entirely from the system, and the planet is now safely in the hands of the Republic," Obi-Wan reported.

"Very good. We commend you on a job well done, Master Kenobi," Adi Gallia said. She shared a look with the hologram of Mace, and Obi-Wan immediately knew what they were thinking.

He wasn't surprised when Mace asked, "And what of Skywalker's efforts in the battle? What have you to report?"

"I'm proud to say Anakin continues to excel as a Jedi. He performed his duties exceptionally well," Obi-Wan stated proudly.

"Where is Anakin now?" Kit Fisto asked.

Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably. He hesitated only briefly, but the damage was done. Mace and Adi narrowed their eyes.

"I believe he may have gone to visit Senator Amidala," Obi-Wan stated, unable to lie to the Council.

"I see," Adi Gallia said. The Council members traded several glances, and Obi-Wan watched as more than one face became stern. Inwardly, he cringed. Adi was staring at him like he had just admitted to being married, or some other gross violation of the Code. And even though Master Windu was only there through a hologram, he could see clearly the Korun Master was giving him the same look.

The others merely looked disappointed, which was to say not as disgusted as Mace and Adi. All except for Kit, who looked sympathetic to the interrogation Obi-Wan was no doubt about to undergo. Curiously, Yoda's face was distinctly impassive.

"Tell us, Obi-Wan," Mace began. "What do you make of the connection between Skywalker and the senator from Naboo?"

_Here we go_, Obi-Wan thought wearily. He chose his words carefully. "I believe they…value each other's company. Anakin doesn't have many friends. Neither does the senator."

"And is that the extent of their relationship?" Adi Gallia asked.

"As far as I know, yes."

"Have you not looked any further into the matter?" Saesee Tiin inquired.

"Anakin's affairs are his own. I don't go out of my way to pry," Obi-Wan said, giving Tiin a disapproving look. The Iktotchi Jedi ignored it.

"Have you at least warned him about the dangers of attachment?"

Obi-Wan glared slightly at Adi. "You know I have. So often that Anakin and I are both tired of it."

"And yet, he does not seem to listen to you," Agen Kolar pointed out, unnecessarily in Obi-Wan's opinion.

The venerated Jedi Master sighed. "Anakin is…complicated. He is loyal to the Order, but he does not appreciate every facet of the Code."

Mace Windu nodded his agreement. "That is one reason why we are wary of him, Obi-Wan. The Code is the guideline for how a Jedi lives his life. It has served us well for millennia and should always be respected."

"If we allow Anakin to decide which parts of the Code he wants to follow and which ones he doesn't, what is to stop other Jedi from doing the same?" Adi Gallia stated.

"Masters, I don't see why this is something we have to discuss. Anakin has not broken the Code. He and Amidala are friends. There is nothing in the Code that says we cannot allow friendships."

"No. However, the Code is clear on attachments. They are to be avoided by every Jedi, for valid reasons," Mace Windu said. "It is the opinion of this Council that this may be something Anakin isn't willing to do."

"You really believe he would throw away over a decade of training for a relationship?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously.

"You said it yourself, Obi-Wan. Anakin is not a normal Jedi. He was not raised in the Temple since infancy and he was not accustomed to our rules when he was brought here," Adi Gallia stated calmly. Her eyebrows raised in mild inquiry. "Would it really be unexpected for him to decide it simply isn't worth it to sacrifice his selfish desires for the good of the Republic?"

Obi-Wan couldn't believe it. These Masters had given Anakin his current status. They were the same individuals who had stood in the Hall of Knighthood and proclaimed Anakin a Jedi Knight. He had been among them, watching with enormous pride as they bestowed the great honor on his Padawan. They had even invited Obi-Wan into their ranks, granting him the rank of Master and commending him on a job well done in training the Chosen One.

Yet here they were, casting doubt on Anakin's devotion to the Jedi; his very loyalty towards Obi-Wan himself.

He wasn't going to stand for it.

"Master Gallia, with all due respect, I believe you are out of line."

Adi's eyes widened from the unexpected rebuke. Before she could respond, Obi-Wan spoke again.

"Anakin has given us no reason to doubt his friendship with Padmé, and I don't believe Padmé would be so foolish as to jeopardize Anakin's career in that manner. Until I see some tangible evidence that my former Padawan has broken the Code, perhaps you should concentrate on what he _has_ done, instead of what you _think_ he might have done. And what he has done is to serve the Republic to the best of his abilities."

The tension was palpable in the Council chamber. Accustomed as they were to Obi-Wan's defending Skywalker's reputation, the members present still had not expected

such a blatant admonishment from the soft-spoken Jedi. Adi Gallia's eyes thinned to slits. She prepared to bring up some of Anakin's past transgressions against the Council's orders, when suddenly, they heard a gruff voice cut through the silence.

"Enough. Calm yourselves, you both will," Master Yoda rebuked them both, surprising the room with his stern tone. The ancient Master had kept silent until then, letting the other Council members question Obi-Wan as they saw fit. Apparently, he had heard enough.

"Master Obi-Wan, merely expressing the Council's concerns, Master Gallia is."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan bowed his head in deference to the diminutive Jedi centuries his elder.

The slightest of smirks appeared on Adi's face. To her surprise, Yoda gave her a stern glance that he had not given to Obi-Wan.

"Master Gallia, correct Obi-Wan is. Nothing outwardly against the Code, has Skywalker done. Served us well, the boy has; saved billions of lives. A powerful Jedi he is. Need him we do."

Yoda brought his cane down hard on the floor to punctuate that statement. The startled Jedi watched as he pointed it at Adi in a gesture they knew was a reprimand.

"Acknowledge that you should, until proved otherwise, his loyalty to the Jedi is."

Yoda directed his attention to Obi-Wan.

"Dismissed you are, Master Kenobi. Over, this Council session is."

At a loss for words, Obi-Wan simply bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Master Yoda."

The ancient master almost chuckled at the relief in Obi-Wan's voice.

The Council members were left to ponder the argument which had just occurred.

Feeling self-conscious over being reproached by Yoda, Adi Gallia avoided the eyes of her fellow Council members. It could almost be said that she was sulking, if it were in fact acceptable for a Jedi Master of Adi's stature to sulk. Mace Windu wasn't better off. The statements Adi made to Obi-Wan mirrored his own concerns about Anakin, concerns which continued to trouble him despite his desire to believe Skywalker was the Chosen One. Kit Fisto looked unsure about the whole thing. Like the late Qui-Gon Jinn, Kit was a Jedi with a rather flexible view of the Code. Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin were undecided. They were disappointed with Anakin's refusal to behave as a proper Jedi should, though they did not share the apparent disdain Adi Gallia reserved for him. As for Yoda, the ancient Master was once again deep in his own thoughts.

Had they bothered to glance closely at Plo Koon, the others might have noticed the expression of disgust the Kel Dor was directing towards Master Gallia and Master Windu.


	3. Belated Homecoming

Disclaimer: The Star Wars brand and all recognizable characters, settings, and events belong to GL and Lucasfilm. I'm just a poor fan trying to have some fun writing this story.

Sorry it took so long folks! I must be the world's worst updater when it comes to fanfics. What can I say? I started a new story that's a collaboration with Lilac Moon and I've been really focused on it for the past couple weeks. You can find it over on her profile. Obi-Wan fans be warned though: the story deals with a darker version of Obi-Wan, among other unsettling subjects. It's definitely not for everyone.

One of the reasons this chapter took a while is because of a love scene between Anakin and Padmé near the end of the chapter. I haven't included it here because I want to keep the rating a T. However, it should be posted within the next few days at Lilac Moon's yahoo group. Check out the link to the group in my profile.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Belated Homecoming**

500 Republica was the most exclusive structure on Coruscant. Dozens of the galaxy's most influential beings were proud to claim residence at the luxurious tower block. Wealthy politicians and their aides, business magnates from powerful corporations…500 Republica was a veritable "who's who" list of prominent individuals, the cream of the galactic crop in terms of money, status and power in Republic society,

including the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic himself.

Another such person was Padmé Amidala.

The esteemed Senator of Naboo walked into her apartment followed by her handmaiden Dormé and the Head of Security charged with Padmé's protection, Captain Typho.

The Senator resided at the Senate Apartment Complex, a lavish building that was part of the chain of residences that comprised 500 Republica. Situated near the Galactic Senate, the apartment complex was an ideal place of dwelling for any influential politician. This level of the building was one of several reserved entirely for the staff and security that always accompanied Senator Amidala during her stays on Coruscant. A good thing too, because Padmé had no desire to see anyone outside of her usual entourage right now.

She was in the bedroom enjoying the first moment of peace she'd had since the morning, when her handmaiden interrupted the quiet bliss.

"My lady, you have a visitor," Dormé informed her.

"Who is it?" Padmé asked tiredly. She was in no mood to entertain any bothersome senators.

"It's a surprise," Dormé said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Padmé sighed. She wasn't up for any games. "Tell them to go away."

Dormé's smile only widened. "I don't think you should do that, milady."

"Dormé, I've just come from an awful Senate meeting. I feel exhausted and all I want to do is lie down and get some rest. Whoever it is, tell them to go away," Padmé stated with a touch of uncharacteristic harshness.

"Now why would you want to do that?" A masculine voice interjected.

Padmé immediately turned around at the familiar tone she had grown to treasure in the past few years. And sure enough, there he was. Standing behind her handmaiden, giving Padmé that endearing, confident smirk of his, was her husband Anakin Skywalker.

"Aren't I welcome here anymore?" Anakin asked teasingly.

"Anakin…" Padmé's lips shifted into a genuine smile, the first in what felt like far too long. Suddenly she couldn't contain her joy. Standing aside, Dormé watched in amazement and mild amusement as the illustrious Senator Amidala threw herself into her husband's arms.

"Oh Ani, I've missed you so much!" Padmé exclaimed as she hugged Anakin tightly. Their lips met in a passionate kiss burning with months of suppressed longing. Padmé pulled back, tears of joyfulness shining in her eyes.

"You were gone so long."

"I know. I missed you too just as much," Anakin said. He stroked the chestnut tresses of her hair as he cupped her beautiful face in his hands.

"But it's okay now. Everything's okay now that I'm here with you," Anakin told her. Padmé's heart melted at his sincerity. She gave him a soft kiss.

"Ahem," Dormé cleared her throat, causing the Skywalkers to break apart slightly. She chuckled as they looked at her, feeling just a little bit self-consciousness. Padmé in particular was getting quite a noticeable blush.

"I'll leave you two alone," Dormé smiled at them. She left the room still laughing slightly to herself.

The Skywalkers turned back to each other. They shared a mutual grin, both at Dormé's obvious giddiness and from the love they both saw in each other's eyes. Once again they embraced in a passionate, loving kiss.

Anakin was right, Padmé reflected. Everything was better now that they were together again.

* * *

The city was beautiful at night.

A dazzling array of lights were visible from the multitude of buildings that made up Coruscant's unique landscape. Because of the abundance of towers and skyscrapers, countless lights illuminated the upper levels where much of Coruscant's citizens thrived, creating a myriad display that was discernible to individuals even in the highest floors of the tallest buildings. Though the structures were entirely manmade, together they formed a brilliant setting that was as radiant as modern architecture could accomplish.

Yet as stunning as that environment was to the eyes, Anakin reflected, it didn't compare to the beauty and elegance of the woman in front of him.

Padmé was undoing the last of her braids from the hairstyle she wore to the Senate today, a task which Anakin found soothing to watch. It was nice to see his wife in a state of complete relaxation, simply going about her daily routine. Being a Senator was a very stressful job for her. It was nice that she found time to just relax and be at ease without worrying about the latest schemes and bouts of foolishness plaguing the Senate.

They had spent the day together, just the two of them, talking about everything that happened in their lives while Anakin was away. It was great to be together again. Earlier on they had shared a delicious meal together, and now they were on the terrace of Padme's apartment, simply enjoying each other's company.

"Something on your mind?" Padmé asked him curiously.

"I'm just thinking of how beautiful you are," Anakin replied smoothly.

"You're just flattering me," Padmé smiled.

"No, I'm serious. No one else in the galaxy is as gorgeous as you."

"Oh stop it. You're going give me a big head if you keep that up," Padmé said jokingly, though she was in fact blushing from Anakin's compliments.

"That wouldn't be so bad. Then you'd fit right in with all the other senators," Anakin smirked. Padmé couldn't help but laugh.

"You're awful. Did anyone ever tell you you're too sharp for your own good?"

"Oh yeah. Master Windu, Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, Shaak Ti, Aayla Secura," Anakin counted on, eyes twinkling with glee. "Master Koon, Master Gallia, the librarian at the Temple, all the techs at the Temple, all the other Padawans at the Temple. Oh, and that Jedi I almost dropped a speeder on."

"What?"

"Oh, but don't worry. Obi-Wan made sure it only landed next to him," Anakin assured her.

"As opposed to landing on the man?" Padmé inquired, arching an eyebrow in disbelief. Anakin gave her a sheepish look.

"How do you 'almost drop a speeder' on someone?" Padmé dared to ask, almost

afraid of what the answer might be.

"Er, a fluke of the Force perhaps?" Anakin said innocently. Padmé only shook her head.

"You're something else, Anakin," she said, trying to contain her amusement. Anakin smiled, before his mood became more serious.

"Actually, I, uh…I have something for you," he stammered nervously. Padmé's face lit up with curiosity.

"You brought me a present?" she asked, the first hints of excitement already in her voice.

Anakin nodded, retrieving a small rectangular jewelry box from inside the black vest of his Jedi outfit. He handed it to Padmé, watching as she opened the box to reveal a sparkling necklace inside.

"Oh my…" Padmé breathed, staring at the pendant attached to the shining silver necklace. The pendant was also resplendently silver in color, and had a green gemstone set in at the base. Padme recognized the jewelry piece as being of Caamasi design, and more than that, she certainly recognized the gemstone as being of a very rare and valuable kind in the galaxy.

"I was on Caamas a while back for a short mission. The Separatists were trying to launch an assault on their capital, but Obi-Wan and I and our troops got there just in time to stop them. Anyway, the Caamasi were very grateful, and they offered us a small reward. Obi-Wan argued against it, of course, but the Caamasi very insistent. They know Jedi don't have much to call their own. I don't know what Obi-Wan did with his part, but I told them I didn't have much use for money."

"What I wanted was to find something special for a very special woman. They showed me to a nice shop while Obi-Wan was busy with Cody, and that's when I saw this," Anakin explained, smiling in anticipation of his wife's reaction to the next part. "The gemstone is very rare in the galaxy; it's only found on a few remote planets. It signifies true love and companionship for most cultures. I thought you'd like it, as a symbol of our love we share."

"Oh, Anakin," Padmé stared lovingly at her husband, touched beyond words by this simple, yet beautiful, gesture of his affection. Their lips met as she gave him a soft, passionate kiss.

"It's beautiful," Padmé said, taking another glance at the pendant in Anakin's hands.

"I'm glad you like it, angel," Anakin said. His azure eyes shone with love for his beloved. "Want me to put it on?"

"By all means," Padmé smiled.

She turned around, sensing Anakin's fingers brush the sensitive skin on her neck as he set the necklace into place. She glanced down at the gemstone set into the pendant, a symbol of their complete love and devotion to one another. She felt like the luckiest woman in the galaxy. Many people spent a lifetime searching for their soul mates, yet she had found hers on the first try. Anakin was a wonderful man, and she couldn't love him more. And to think that she had almost thrown away his love, when they first realized their strong feelings for each other on Naboo.

How fortunate she was, Padmé reflected, that she didn't listen to what others would call reason in the end; the common sense that told her a senator could not afford the luxury of a personal life, and that a relationship with a Jedi would never work. Because Padmé had never been happier in her life. Being married to Anakin filled a void in her heart she didn't even know she had, until he made her see that life should be more than just a career and some friendships. Only a life full of things like love, passion, and companionship was truly a life worth living.

"I'm never taking it off," Padmé sighed wistfully.

"Never?" Anakin asked, slightly amused.

"Okay. Maybe sometimes," Padmé said mirthfully.

"I would hope so. I imagine it might get a little uncomfortable in bed," Anakin said, grinning slyly.

"Anakin," Padmé laughed, slapping him gently on the arm. "You're awful."

"I prefer to think of it as being exceptionally witty," Anakin said, mock seriously.

"And you're arrogant, too," Padmé remarked, shaking her head.

"Is that so, milady? Well," Anakin said, wrapping his arms around Padmé. "Tell me this, my love. Don't I have reason to be?"

As if to punctuate his statement, Anakin gave her another deep kiss. As his lips enveloped hers, an invisible hand softly took hold of her hair, undoing the braids one by one. Though Padmé could easily lose herself in his kisses, Anakin's mischievous use of the Force did not go unnoticed.

"Stop that," she chided him, pulling away from their kiss. She smiled at him, though, to let him know that she wasn't bothered by it.

"Why? It's faster than doing it the usual away."

"I like doing it the usual way," Padmé said.

"You shouldn't have to do it at all. I don't know why you need a different hairstyle everyday. You hair's perfect just the way it is."

"I wish my handmaidens thought that," Padmé said. She pulled closer to Anakin.

"I love the pendant, sweetheart. I'll wear it as often as I can."

"Except in the Senate?" Anakin asked seriously.

Padmé felt a twinge of guilt. "I can't risk anybody finding out about our marriage.

"Then lie."

"I can't do that," Padmé said, with a trace of exasperation.

"Why not? You've been doing it for two years, haven't you?" Anakin pointed out. He wasn't surprised to see her become defensive.

"That's different. Nobody's ever asked me directly if I have a relationship or not. But if I wear something like this to the Senate, people are going to start talking."

"Then let them talk," Anakin replied tersely.

"Anakin," Padmé began, startled at the mere suggestion.

"No, Padmé," Anakin shook his head. "I'm tired of this. We shouldn't have to hide our relationship like it's some kind of sin against the Republic. After everything we've done for the galaxy, aren't we entitled to some happiness of our own?"

Padmé was about to respond, but Anakin didn't give her the chance. He pulled away from her grasp, staring out the endless horizon of buildings and traffic.

"Love isn't a curse, Padmé. It's a blessing. I'm a better man than I was before I married you, and I owe it all to you, not to the Jedi or to Obi-Wan."

Padmé softly grabbed his shoulders, turning him to gaze at her with frustrated azure eyes. She warmly cupped his face in her hands. "Anakin, I know how frustrating this is for you. It's frustrating for me too. But we can't ignore the limitations placed on us by our positions. The Jedi Code--"

"The Jedi Code is garbage, Padmé," Anakin cut her off.

"You don't mean that." Padmé said, astounded by the statement her husband had just made.

"Yes, I do," Anakin told her firmly. "The Code teaches us to ignore and suppress our emotions. We're supposed to act like nothing in the universe bothers us, and we can't allow ourselves to care about anyone besides the Order? But how we can do that and still be expected to be compassionate sentient beings?"

"How can we have compassion for anything if we're not allowed to care about anyone?" Anakin continued confidently. It was clear to Padmé that her husband had done a great deal of thinking on this matter. And though she wanted to, truth be told, she couldn't bring herself to fully deny his claims. She had seen the results of the Jedi Code on numerous occasions. A casual condescending remark by a Jedi here and there, or a refusal by the Council to aid a particular group of people because they weren't viewed as a priority by the Senate. The slaves on Tatooine easily came to mind. Padmé had never confided this to Anakin out of fear of making him angry at the Jedi, but shortly after the Battle of Naboo, she had petitioned on numerous occasions to the Jedi Council to help her free the slaves on Tatooine, including Anakin's mother. And each and every time, the Council had steadily refused, citing a lack of authorization from the Senate. The Jedi never acted without approval of the Senate, and the Senate long ago decided that slavery in the more chaotic regions of the galaxy was not an issue of any importance.

Padmé was angered by the Council's response at the time, and she was even more angered by accusations from some of the Council members that her only interest in this matter was for the sake of the young boy she befriended. Yes, Anakin was a concern to her; no child should ever have to suffer the indignity and injustice of being enslaved, and he should never have to leave his mother behind on a world where she was considered nothing more than property, not knowing whether he would ever see her again. And it wasn't just Anakin. Didn't the Twi'lek members of their order want to end the centuries old exploitation of the young girls of their species as slaves? Didn't the Rodian Knights and Masters wish to help salvage the reputation of their home world after aiding so many pirate and slaving groups in their rise to power?

The Jedi claimed to be compassionate, yet where was the compassion for the people beyond the Core Worlds of the galaxy? Deep inside her, Padmé knew that was when she began to lose her faith in the Jedi. It was apparent that the same lack of consideration exhibited by the Senate had in fact wormed itself into the foundations of the Jedi Order.

Over the years, her anger at the Council had lessened somewhat, mostly due to her obligations as Queen and then Senator of her world. As a public official, she was expected to respect the Jedi Order and cooperate with them whenever necessary, and that was exactly what she did. That didn't mean she had to like it. And now that the person she loved most in the galaxy pointed out that same lack of empathy, Padmé Naberrie once again found herself questioning the wisdom of the Jedi Council. Anakin wasn't hindered in any way as a Jedi by being married to her. If anything, having her to love seemed to give him a strength and drive, and dare she say it, maturity that he lacked when he was solely under Obi-Wan's influence.

In contrast, Obi-Wan himself had angered her on more occasions than one. Anakin told her all about the endless comments his old master made about her, politicians in general, and even family ideals held by many people outside the Jedi Order. Padmé would be lying if she said that some of those comments didn't want to make her slap the older man for his unthinking condescension.

Was Anakin right? She wondered. Would it really be best if they just did away with the façade of being friends and revealed their true relationship to everyone? For what it was worth, Padmé had no worries about herself. The Senate could not take action against her for falling in love. Her worry was for Anakin.

It was Anakin's childhood dream to be a Jedi. And now that he had turned that dream into a reality, being a Jedi Knight wasn't just a major part of his life. It was his life, and Padmé knew he did a great deal of good as a Jedi. He was a hero, and regardless of his issues with the Council, he enjoyed greatly what he did. Padmé couldn't let him give that up without a fight.

"It's being able to love that makes us human, Padmé. Without that, we wouldn't be all that different from droids." Anakin took her soft hands in his. "And I don't want to hide the fact that I love you any longer."

Tears shone in Padmé's eyes. That was what it all came down to. Underneath it all, Anakin loved her more than anything. He loved her so much that he was willing to risk expulsion from the Jedi if he could be with her as a loving husband should. No hiding their relationship from their loved ones, no sleepless nights of worrying for the other in the turmoil of the war, no longing from afar for the next time they would see each other months down the line.

"I know. And I admit, you make a very valid point. But I have to think about this some more, Ani," Padmé said softly, using his old childhood nickname. "Being a Jedi was your dream. I don't want you to give that up for me."

"I wouldn't be giving up anything to be with you, my angel," Anakin said. "Never think that you're a burden on me. Because you're not, and you've given me two important things I'd never get as a Jedi who follows the Code. You've given me your love and your understanding, and for that I'm eternally grateful."

"Trust me, love, that's worth far more to me than any seat on the Council or being given the formality of being called a Jedi Master. Leaving the Order wouldn't be some huge sacrifice. I wouldn't be ending my life. I'd only be starting a new one with someone that I love."

How could Padmé argue with that? The couple embraced each other tightly as they shared a deep, amorous kiss. They stayed that way for several moments, content to be in each other's arms, until the cold night air forced them to reluctantly pull apart.

"Now can we please go inside? It's getting kind of cold out here," Anakin said, shivering a bit from the chilly breeze. He gave Padmé a warm smile, hoping to ease any remaining tension.

"Okay. But we're not done with this yet, mister," Padmé warned him, wagging her finger at him mock seriously.

"Of course not. Nothing's ever that easy with you," Anakin stated dryly. Padmé glared at him. "I'm kidding," he said, holding up his hands in surrender.

Padmé sighed, the corners of her mouth lifting in a slight grin. "You're just lucky I love you so much."

"You expect me to argue with that?" Anakin quipped, raising an eyebrow in amusement. Padmé just shook her head. It was impossible to win with him; his wit was strong as his love for her.

"Come on, Master Jedi. Time to get to bed," Padmé said, taking him by the hand and leading him to her bedroom as the couple retired for the evening.

* * *

_Please R & R._


	4. A View of Things to Come

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and LucasFilm Ltd. I am making no money whatsoever off this fan fiction, as I write only out of love for the series, and the wish to tell a good story.

AN: Hi everyone! I'm back! I realize it's been a very long time since I last updated this story. What can I say? Things were really hectic towards the end of last year, and I also had several other stories to work on. I also lost inspiration on this one for a while. I knew what I wanted to have happen in the story, but finding the words for it proved more difficult. Fortunately, I've been feeling a lot more inspired as of late, and I think it's really benefitted most of my stories. I look forward to working on this story again. I can't guarantee I'll have the next update very soon (like next week), but it'll definitely be a shorter wait than five months. ;)

A lot shorter, since I've found a lot of the scenes I wrote last year for it still work very well in the story. I worked hard on this chapter tonight, so I hope very much that you enjoy it. Remember, read and review folks! It keeps us authors going.

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**Chapter 3: A View of Things to Come**

It was often said in the Republic that Jedi did not dream. Often times, this was said by mature Jedi Masters themselves. It was a tactic used to persuade those younger than them such as Padawans and Initiates that their Jedi training awarded them control over those uncertain aspects of their minds. A Jedi did not dream because he couldn't. His mind was far too disciplined for that. It was a credo applied to Jedi of all ages, regardless of gender or species.

In truth, the old saying was a rather misleading one. While Jedi training did indeed lead to greater discipline, it did not lead to unsurpassed control over one's collective unconscious. For all their abilities in the Force, the Jedi were still only human, or whatever sentient species a Jedi happened to belong to. As long as a Jedi remained alive, he or she would always be susceptible to the stirrings of the subconscious mind.

For most Jedi, dreams were the method by which the person's deepest feelings, ideas and overall varied thoughts found a way to express themselves. Generally they were harmless, if a little unsettling at times. But for others in the Order, dreams were something to be feared.

For a select few, dreams were so much more.

Anakin Skywalker was one of those people.

He was aware of being somewhat alert, though his eyes were unable to discern any detail whatsoever. He was enveloped by darkness, much as he had been several times before in his life.

A curiously warm breeze swept across his face. He felt hot; suffocated really, as if he was wearing several layers of clothing in addition to his regular tunics and pants. He could almost feel the sweat building beneath his clothes. The question immediately rose in his mind. What was going on? But his eyes refused to cooperate. He wasn't even sure whether they were merely closed or whether he was literally engulfed in shadow.

Gradually his vision returned. And when it did, he almost wished he had remained in the dark.

It was by far the most horrific planet he had ever seen. A monstrous abyss of fire and ash, its sun barely penetrated the canopy created by an endless reaction of molten activity. He coughed violently into his hand, as the ash and smoke swirling around in the air made its way into his lungs. This place was a wasteland – that much was clear. There was only a small stretch of ground that Anakin could see, which wasn't burning with hot lava. It was a platform of some type of metal, acting as a bridge between two other segments as the lava pounded them relentlessly.

And in the middle of that bridge were two dueling combatants.

_Obi-Wan_, Anakin realized.

His Master was engaged in a lightning quick duel. Blue clashed against red as Kenobi struggled to match the fearsome blows of his opponent. And that opponent was a Sith. Anakin could see it in the vicious parries, in the powerful slashes that struck with inhuman speed. Even without the distinct black cloak, Anakin would have recognized the enemy. No Jedi fought like that, save for himself.

He stared with rapt fascination at the cloaked individual. Was this Dooku? He wondered, imagining if the old Count was brazen enough to challenge Obi-Wan in such manner? But no, the style of combat looked distinctly similar from Count Dooku's. It was less elegant, less refined, and more dependent on raw strength and speed. Was it the Sith Master then? But the Sith worked from the shadows, never revealing any hint of his identity. Why would he challenge one of the most notable Masters of the Order, in a situation where Obi-Wan could potentially destroy him?

The duel continued as he looked on. This had to be a dream, he told himself, watching the combatants play at their deadly dance. Fire raged around them with apocalyptic fury, signaling the collapse of a chaotic period in the galaxy into something utterly hellacious. The Jedi and the Sith continued unperturbed. Neither one was shaken by the turbulence, as if the fate of the galaxy did not depend on their actions.

Obi-Wan winced as the Sith Lord's blade caught him in the left bicep. It was only a dream, Anakin told himself once more. His Master wasn't in danger, none of this was really happening; there was no way the Sith could hurt him. Yet he could not help but hope the fight would be over soon. It made him nervous to see his Master alone against an opponent of this caliber.

Apparently that nervousness was warranted.

Gradually his Master turned the tide…against himself. Obi-Wan was yielding to the natural exhaustion of his body. Jedi or not, Kenobi was still human. He had his limitations just like anyone else, and the tremendous duel was taking its toll. He could not hold off this monster forever, especially in such a draining environment. Anakin could barely stomach the smoke and high temperature, and he was merely a spectator. This battleground was hellish. It was malicious and destructive, and the dark side was everywhere. The atmosphere reeked of it. It permeated every ounce of the molten hell, creating a juggernaut of rage that Obi-Wan couldn't possibly hope to best.

Anakin watched with increasing desperation as his Master fell back before the onslaught. Obi-Wan was weakening, finding it increasingly hard to counter the enemy's maneuvers. The Sith had no such difficulties. The dark side flowed through his veins, shielding him from natural weakness and exhaustion. Kenobi feverishly tried to parry his blows in the hopes of finding an opening in his enemy's defense. The Sith Lord easily parried his attacks. Indeed, Kenobi's determination only seemed to fuel his rage. He struck hard at the Jedi, driving him back with a barrage of vicious lighting fast attacks. Obi-Wan struggled to keep up with the blows, losing his footing even as he brought his sword up to defend himself.

Anakin's fear only grew as he realized in horror that he recognized the strategy the Sith was using. Wear down your opponent with everything you've got, never giving him time to breathe, until at last he leaves himself open – it was the same strategy he used in confrontations. More importantly, the Sith was using Form V, the fiercest of all combat forms. It was the same style Anakin used, and he knew from his years of mastering it that there was no way Obi-Wan could win. Not like this, in this state of exhaustion from the battle and the planet's own harsh elements. Soresu was a powerful defense, but it was only good for defense, and that was something Obi-Wan could not maintain in this condition. Sooner or later, the Sith would strike.

He wanted to shout out a warning about the strategy; to just tell his Master to get out of there and forget about the battle. His life depended on it. All thoughts of this being a dream had evaporated as Anakin became immersed in the deadly battle. Now he knew how Obi-Wan felt so long ago on Naboo, watching through an energy barrier as his Master and the Sith Lord dueled, helpless to do anything to aid his mentor. Obi-Wan countered the blows, but there was no real strength behind it. The exertion had robbed him of all offensive power. All he could do was hang on by a thread, using his incredible skills to feebly block or sidestepped the enemy's assault.

And then it happened.

The Sith Lord swiped away Obi-Wan's saber, leaving him wide open for the kill. A single strike was all it took. With no hesitation, he ruthlessly thrust the blade into Obi-Wan's heart. An agonized scream of fury erupted from Anakin's throat as Obi-Wan fell to his knees, a look of stunned disbelief written on his dignified features. And then, as if that weren't enough, the Sith Lord slashed his saber through Kenobi's neck, decapitating the old Master before Anakin's horrified eyes. Obi-Wan's headless body fell to the ground as the Sith stood triumphant, his demeanor that of someone who knew they had achieved ultimate victory.

Anakin wanted to do something. He wanted to scream in utter rage and anguish; to take up his lightsaber and strike down this monster who had robbed him of the only father figure he ever had. Who was this animal? He wondered in contempt. Was it Dooku? If so, he would destroy the old man for everything he had taken from him. The Sith Lord who eluded them? No matter. He was the Chosen One. Whatever happened, he would tear this monster limb for limb, and avenge not only Obi-Wan's deaths, but the deaths of everyone who had died in this Sith-forsaken war.

Suddenly, the figure turned in his direction. He seemed to stare right back at him, as though he knew Anakin was there despite him not announcing his presence. Anakin gritted his teeth, blood boiling in his veins as the warrior pulled back his hood. He would know who this madman was soon enough.

And so he did.

The features were hauntingly familiar. Sandy blonde hair, eyes as blue as the water on Naboo…

It was him.

"No…" Anakin whispered to himself. This…this couldn't be. It was impossible! He would never…!

But it was. For there was no mistaking the features that gazed at the 'intruder' from afar. Staring back at him was the face of Anakin Skywalker.

It was him. Anakin had been the Sith Lord all along. And now, he had just murdered his former Master in cold blood.

The cry of denial that exploded from his throat roared through the planet like thunder. The Chosen One had been betrayed, by none other than himself. And now, the galaxy itself would feel his wrath…

* * *

Anakin awoke with a sudden gasp of shock. He looked around expecting to see his evil self and the fallen body of his Master, but there was no one there. The persons were gone, as was the fire of the planet he had been on. Only Padme remained, sleeping comfortably beside him. It was all a dream. 

He wiped away a layer of sweat from his forehead, breathing like he'd just been in a sparring duel. None of it was real. It was only a dream, he told himself, trying to recover his balance. The fire, the darkness, the atrocity committed by his own hand…it was all gone. None of it had happened. It was only a dream.

Thank the Force.

Anakin grasped his head in shock. It all seemed so real. He swore could almost feel the blistering heat of the place burning away at his skin. He could almost taste the cinders in his mouth as the smoke entered and clogged his airways. Nonetheless, it was only a dream.

Was it?

Anakin swung his legs over the side of the bed. How was that possible? If it was only a dream, how did everything seem so real? Why did he feel like he had just been to Hell and back, if it was only nothing more than a nightmare?

Anakin stood up from the bed. Putting on a robe over his sleep pants, he left the room as quietly as possible, so as to not disturb his angel. He needed some fresh air.

* * *

Anakin stood outside in the veranda. The cool night air raked across his chest with unrelenting frigidness. Others would have found it cold, but Anakin found the slight chill to be oddly comforting. The winds gave him a clarity he rarely achieved during the day; few things called you to awareness as harshly as a cold breeze against your skin. Still feeling the aftershocks of his dream state, Anakin could use all the focus he could get. 

At the same time, the temperature of Coruscant's artificial atmosphere reminded him of how he sometimes felt inside. Cold, dead to all emotions save for anger. The way had made him prematurely cynical; too much for his own good. That coldness threatened to overtake him far too often. It nibbled at his restraint; at the part of him that kept his vast uncalculated potential within check. Nowhere was this stronger than among the ranks of his comrades at the Jedi Temple, where emotionless existence was the norm.

Emotions were considered a cancer, a burden that kept you from achieving the true enlightenment that was the key to being a successful Jedi. And so the Jedi suppressed them, pushing them deep into their souls like a part of themselves they longed to excise.

A Jedi felt no anger. No hate. No love.

Love was considered a weakness; an immature attachment that prevented a Jedi from being one hundred percent impartial. Better to be unattached and care for no one than to care for someone a bit too much.

The Jedi were cold for the sake of duty. Anakin was the same for a different reason altogether.

He was tired. Tired of this war, tired of being apart from his wife for months on end. And he was angry. Angry at the Separatists for starting this war, angry at Count Dooku and his general for being so damn difficult to track down…

Most of all, he was angry at the Council's increasing ineptitude with regards to dealing with this war. It wasn't enough that their stupid rules prevented him from being with his angel. Now their incompetence in the field and complete lack of strategy had led to the escalation of the war and the deaths of hundreds of Jedi Knights. Worse yet, they refused to acknowledge what he did for the Order. It was he and Obi-Wan that kept the Order from becoming an embarrassment in the Republic. Yet did they acknowledge that contribution and reward him with at least some respect and acceptance? On the contrary, they rebuked him even more so than before, making it clear he had no place among their ranks and was only there out of convenience. They couldn't afford to lose a Jedi of his power, which was the only reason they made him a Knight in the first place. Even the most loyal Padawan would tire of waiting for advancement forever, and Anakin was not the most loyal Jedi in the Order.

And the worst part was that they were no better than him. He could see the raw contempt in their eyes whenever he looked at Master Windu and Master Gallia. Was that not the very definition of hatred, to resent him so much? That was not counting the other notable Jedi like Master Kuro, whose body oozed hostility with every movement. Where was the Jedi Code in their examples? Clearly it was not enough to dissuade them from loathing him indefinitely. So perhaps Jedi did feel some emotion.

Obi-Wan certainly did. As much as he annoyed him sometimes, Anakin had to admit that he and Obi-Wan shared an unbreakable bond. Otherwise, they would not have stuck so long around each other. Obi-Wan was under no obligation from the Council; he could have just as easily given up on Anakin's training many years ago. He hadn't, and now the two were inseparable partners on the battlefield. Obi-Wan could not exist without Anakin, and Anakin dreaded the day when Obi-Wan would inevitably leave his life. Among those on the council, his Master was the only one who truly treated Anakin like an equal.

And now that Master was in danger.

He sensed Padme's presence behind him.

"Anakin? Are you all right?"

"What are you doing up so late?" he asked without looking.

"I woke up and you weren't there. I was worried about you." Hesitantly, "I could ask the same about you."

"I'm fine. I'm just doing some thinking," Anakin replied.

"About?"

A pause. "It's nothing. Go back to bed. I'll be there shortly."

Padme refused to accept that. Anakin heard the quiet falls of her footsteps as she approached. She laid a tentative hand on his arm. "Is something wrong?"

Anakin finally turned to look at her. "Nothing you need to worry about," he said, giving her his most unworried smile. Padme wasn't convinced.

"Ani, if there's something wrong, you need to tell me. I'm your wife." Padme's gentle lilt was soothing and compassionate, as it always was.

Anakin turned away. "I had a dream tonight. Earlier, just before you awoke," he said tonelessly.

Padme's attention was suddenly all focused. "A nightmare?"

"Yes."

"A vision?"

"I don't know," Anakin sighed. "Possibly."

Padme placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me about it."

"There's not much to tell," Anakin began. "I was…in a fiery place. Two people were there, fighting against each other." He fell silent, struggling not to let the disturbing images affect him too visibly.

"Anyone you know?"

"Yes," he reluctantly conceded. Anakin took a deep breath. "It was Obi-Wan. I saw him killed in battle…" he paused, "by the Sith."

"Oh Anakin..." Padme's face was instantly sympathetic. She intertwined her arm with her husband's, drawing him into a partial embrace. "It was only a dream."

"I hope so."

"Was it Dooku?" Padme inquired. She knew the former Jedi was a Sith Lord, and a powerful one as well – far too powerful for Anakin or Obi-Wan to face alone.

"I don't know. I didn't get a good look at his face," Anakin lied.

"Was it the Master then? The one you told me about?" Padme persisted, knowing from Anakin's reports the Sith liked to keep his identity concealed. If he was to be believed, Dooku was only his servant, a scapegoat for whom the blame on the war could be placed.

"I don't know." He hesitated, but decided the knowledge couldn't hurt. "I do know it was his style. Dooku, I mean. This Sith Lord was a lot stronger." He closed his eyes in quiet grief.

Padme didn't respond, taking some time to absorb that bit of info. A Sith Lord stronger than Dooku? The aged Count had easily defeated Anakin and Obi-Wan by himself, and then fought Master Yoda to a draw. A shiver ran through her. How much more dangerous would the Master be if that was only what his apprentice was capable of?

Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Why weren't you there to help him?"

"What?"

"Obi-Wan. Why weren't you there to help him?" she repeated.

Anakin hesitated. He knew full well why he "wasn't there" to help Obi-Wan. But it was something he could never share with her. "I…don't know," he said, looking out across the cityscape. Padme was quiet for a few moments, joining him in silent observance of Coruscant's late nighttime. She snuggled close to him, basking in the warm feel of his body. Finally she made a single reassuring statement.

"It was only a dream," she said.

Anakin glanced sharply at her. "And what if it wasn't?" he demanded.

Padme was silent for several moments. "We all die sometime, Anakin," she said at last. "There's nothing you or I can do to prevent that."

"Not if I can help it," her husband muttered darkly.

"Anakin…"

"I won't let this vision come true, Padme," Anakin suddenly growled, taking Padme by surprise. She took a few steps back, frightened by the sudden change in Anakin's demeanor.

Instantly the rage disappeared from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't to scare you. You're right, we all have to die sometime. It's foolish to think there's any way to change that," he apologized, aghast at what he'd done. How could he snap at Padme like that? She was only trying to help.

He already knew the reason, of course. "It's just…the man's been like a father to me. I can't afford to lose him."

Padme stared at him warily for a few seconds. When it became clear he was honestly contrite, she pulled him into a comforting embrace. "I know. It was only a dream, Anakin. We don't even know if it'll come true. And even if it does, I'm sure you'll be there to protect Obi-Wan this time. You guys are inseparable, after all."

Anakin had to smile. "That's true."

"We can talk about it later. Right now the best thing you can do is to go back to sleep."

"I'm not going to be able to sleep after this, Padme," Anakin said.

"Ani, you need your rest. It won't do any good if you're exhausted in the morning," Padme insisted. Anakin sighed. She really sounded like a mother sometimes.

"Okay, go back inside. I'll be there shortly."

"Thank you," Padme said, giving him a quick kiss. She yawned almost immediately afterwards, causing Anakin to laugh.

"Wow. Am I that exhausting?"

"Oh, be quiet," Padme said with uncharacteristic bluntness. She was still groggy from being woken up so early; the last thing she needed was him teasing her about it. Still, she couldn't help but smile. Ani certainly had a way with words.

She shivered as a gust of wind blew through the terrace. "It's freezing out here. How can you be outside with nothing but that robe on?"

"I guess I'm just made of stronger stuff," Anakin smirked.

"Well you should get inside. You're going to get sick," Padme declared sternly. Anakin rolled his eyes.

"As you wish, milady," he stated, giving an exaggerated bow. His angel glared pointedly at him, but said nothing further as she made her way back inside. Anakin remained on the veranda for several more minutes, before slipping back into the apartment.

The conversation with Padme had lightened things up a bit. But as he lay down next to this wife, Anakin could not help but picture the last disturbing image of that horrible nightmare. Obi-Wan's dead body lying beheaded on the ground…

…And his own former apprentice standing over him.


	5. Calm Before the Storm

Disclaimer: You know the deal. Star Wars belongs to LucasFilms and the Almighty Flanneled One a.k.a. George Lucas. I make no profit whatsoever off this story.

AN: Rejoice, my loyal dark siders: I'm back with another update! I wanted to post this last night, but once I started writing, I realized I couldn't stop at what I'd planned. I had to delve deeper into the mind of Mace Windu, to show what makes him tick. The same went for Padme later on. Lucky for me, hers isn't as scary. :P

I'm kidding, Windu fans! Anyway, I stayed up all night working on this. I only just finished it this morning. I hope you enjoy it. It may be a while until the next update, since I want to concentrate on a couple of my other fics for the next few days. Don't worry however, I have no intention of letting more than a few weeks pass between updates ever again. And now, chapter 4 everybody!

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Chapter 4 – Calm Before the Storm**

**_The Jedi Temple, early next morning…_**

In a meditation room in the Council spire, Mace Windu stared incredulously at Jedi Master Yoda.

"You cannot be serious," he told his counterpart.

"Deadly serious, Master Windu," Yoda stated.

"Master, he's done nothing to warrant my trust. You cannot expect me to accept that."

"Accept it you must, Master Windu."

Mace uttered a sigh. He didn't want to appear impossible, but what Yoda was asking him to do…

"Why find it difficult to trust him, do you?"

Mace looked at him in pure disbelief. "Is it even necessary to ask? You know why, Master. He's impetuous, he's ill-tempered, he's unreliable…" He sighed. "He's everything a Jedi should not be."

Yoda contemplated that. "Perhaps. But is he everything the Chosen One should not be?"

"I don't understand. Master, how can he be the Chosen One and not be a proper Jedi?"

It was a fair question on Mace's part. "Depends on your point of view, the definition of a proper Jedi does. Strong Anakin is, brave and courageous. Proved himself he has many times over."

"In battle, Master Yoda. Not in spirit," Mace reminded him.

"Realize this, I do. But, overlooking one thing, you are. Still with us he is," Yoda declared. "Disagreements we've had. Trust us fully he does not. Yet, left the Order he has not, though few would blame him for it. The best time to be a Jedi, this is not."

Mace sighed wearily. Yes, Anakin had not left the Order as of yet, though he'd surely had many chances to do considering the carnage he'd had to endure as a soldier on the front lines. The question was: why was he holding on to his position as a Jedi Knight? Was it because he had genuine loyalty for the Jedi and their beliefs? Or was it because of a greedy desire to rise to the rank of Master, and possibly claim a seat on the Council, so that he could rub it in the faces of the Jedi who had doubted him? If it was the latter, then he was definitely not devoted enough to hold an important position in the Order, never mind serving as their unofficial leader.

To defeat the Sith, the Jedi needed a leader who was willing to risk it all in the name of the greater good, not an immature young man who only cared about himself. Mace was not a fool. He could see plainly why Qui-Gon Jinn believed Anakin was the Chosen One, and indeed, he actually agreed with the deceased man's assessment. Anakin was the strongest of them in body, possessing a midi-chlorian count never before seen in the history of the Jedi. But when it came to his actual value as a person…Mace didn't know what to think. He was reckless and impulsive, and he'd disobeyed them far too many times to count. Not to mention, he continued to foster an attachment to that Senator from Naboo, and he already maintained a dangerous relationship with the Chancellor. Overall, Anakin was as far from the traditional image of the Chosen One as Mace could have imagined.

And that was the problem. Being the Chosen One was not something that came automatically. It was something Anakin had to grow into, to accept the responsibilities that the position entailed. Anakin had an important destiny to fulfill, and so far he had not risen to the challenge in Mace's opinion. The power was there – the Force had seen to that. But what good was the raw power without the maturity to back it up? While it was not Mace's place to question the will of the Force, he had to wonder what the Force was thinking with this one. If it was looking for a responsible leader to restore balance, the Force would have been better off to bestow that power on someone like Obi-Wan, or Yoda, or even himself.

Unless of course, the Jedi were the ones in the wrong…

But Mace shuddered at the possibility of accepting that theory. The Jedi had survived for thousands of years. Their code had served them well, ingraining in them a sense of duty and tradition that had never been shaken. They had sacrificed much for the sake of the Republic, and the rewards they received in return were evident for all to see. An incredible history, a renowned haven in the Temple, respect and power in the Republic…while the latter of those were not things a Jedi sought willingly, they did indeed come in handy in preserving peace and justice throughout the galaxy.

The Code had proven to be an invaluable part of their existence. To suggest that it was actually flawed, in any way, shape or form, was to go down a path Mace wasn't sure he wanted to think about.

As if reading his conflicted thoughts, Yoda gave him a curious stare. "Always assumed we have, that the Chosen One would follow all our rules as we did before him. A misguided assumption, that may turn out to be."

Mace stared at him. "Master, you can't be serious!"

"Invulnerable, we are not. Infallible, we are not. Arrogant and unquestioning, many of us are. Too sure of our ourselves, have we been, for a long time. Possible it is, that see things we cannot, Anakin does."

At Mace's skeptical glance, Yoda explained. "Unable to detect the Sith, we have been. Possible is it, that he may succeed where we cannot. Sense his mother in danger, he did, while Obi-Wan dismissed his feelings as a dream. A weakness, his attachments are. Yet, offer him peculiar insight, they do."

"Drawn to the dark side, the boy is. And drawn to him, the dark side is. Possible it is, that we can use this in our favor."

Mace thought hard about that. He hadn't looked at it that way, admittedly. Perhaps Yoda was right. Perhaps it took someone with a bit darkness to them, like Anakin had, to sense what they were not familiar with. The darkness of the Sith Lord that eluded them was something none of them had ever experienced first hand. Only Obi-Wan and Yoda had fought full-fledged Sith Lords, and those were merely apprentices – they were not the Master himself, with the vast arsenal of abilities that entailed. How could they fight what they did not know?

Still, he had spent too much time criticizing Anakin to easily change his stance now. It was the old saying went – old habits die hard.

"I understand what you're trying to tell me, Master Yoda," Mace said, ignoring Yoda's famous saying about trying. "I just can't give Skywalker my trust when he has done nothing to prove himself worthy of it."

There was a note of finality in Windu's voice. Yoda frowned disappointedly. Perhaps this was a waste of time. Mace was too set in his ways to change so easily. For a moment, he almost considered telling the other Master about the ominous words Qui-Gon's spirit had imparted him with. But ultimately, he realized it would do little good. Mace had been one of those who criticized Qui-Gon for his maverick ways when he was alive, and even after his death that opinion had not changed. They missed the Master's presence and respected his accomplishments, but Mace was one of several Jedi who believed Qui-Gon would still be alive, had he only accepted the Code and earned himself a seat on the Council.

He would not heed the other man's words with the fervor Yoda did, even if he was in contact with a higher power now.

Yoda stared hard at the dark skinned Master. What could he do to convince him to have faith in Anakin? Suddenly he got an idea.

"What can Skywalker do, Master Windu, to earn that trust from you?"

Mace was taken aback. He had considered the discussion closed, yet now Yoda had issued a rather interesting question to him. And this was no mere inquiry. This sounded like a challenge. His forehead mottled in thought. What could he do indeed?

He decided against saying something with regards to Anakin's mentality. Yoda was clearly looking for something concrete.

"We've all sensed the stirrings of the dark side around the Chancellor," he spoke at last. "Even if the Sith Lord is not in his inner circle, his actions only help the Sith Lord's motives."

"Hmm," Yoda agreed with a nod.

"The Chancellor has also made it clear that he does not intend to relinquish his newly-gained authority anytime soon. Neither do we have much knowledge on his intentions for those emergency powers, save for the façade he presents to everyone in the Republic. It is dangerous to have that much power in the hands of a single politician, I'm sure we both agree on that."

Yoda nodded again.

"Anakin is very close to the Chancellor. He speaks with him in a way none of us on the Council do. We have ignored it thus far in the hopes that it would eventually fade away. Obviously that hasn't happened."

Yoda focused intently on his fellow Council member. He had an idea of where this was going, but he needed to be sure.

Mace took a deep breath. "I suggest we use Anakin to find out the Chancellor's ulterior motives. Palpatine trusts Skywalker. If he is planning something, it is Anakin he will likely confide in."

Yoda exhaled with the slightest trace of exasperation. He should have seen that was coming. Mace was a brilliant tactician who thought in terms of the whole rather than each individual part of the picture. It had served him well on countless occasions, but there was the odd occasion when that mindset worked against him, and he failed to take into account the important of each individual piece. Yoda had a feeling this might be one of them. He already knew Anakin would not agree to this willingly. Neither would Obi-Wan.

"Not sure I am, that Skywalker will take well to that assignment."

Mace raised an eyebrow in mild disbelief. "You asked me what it would take," he said dryly. Was Yoda backing out now after his impassioned plea? That didn't seem like the old Master he shared the Council with. "This is it."

Yoda uttered a sigh, though he knew subconsciously that Mace was right. There was no getting around it. They needed to know the Chancellor's true motives, and only Anakin could do that. And it this was the one thing that could gain Windu's trust in Anakin, then Yoda had no choice. He only hoped the boy wouldn't take it as personally as he feared.

"Very well. Ask him to spy on the Chancellor, the Council will," Yoda said bluntly, leaving no doubt as to the truth of what Mace was asking. Mace was unmoved. He knew the seriousness of what he was asking.

"Good. It's settled then. Now if you excuse me, I have some errands to take care," he said.

Mace Windu exited the meditation chamber, leaving Yoda with an uneasy feeling about the upcoming Council meeting.

* * *

Later that morning, the ancient Master had a very different guest at his quarters, one he had never expected to visit him personally. 

"Skywalker? A surprise this is. Expect to see you today, I did not," Yoda said. After all, Anakin was off-duty for the next few days.

"I need to talk to you," Anakin said simply. His face was utterly emotionless. Yoda stared curiously at him. Whatever this was about, it was deadly serious.

"Very well. Follow me," the Council member replied.

* * *

"Hmm…premonitions you say?" Yoda inquired. 

"Yes," Anakin said. They were in the meditation chamber reserved for the Council. Anakin had approached Master Yoda that morning and requested to speak with him, knowing it would be a shock to the old green Jedi. After all, he rarely if ever sought help from a Council member. Nonetheless, there was a first time for everything.

Anakin had to admit it was rather unsettling sitting in solitude with the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, although to his relief, it wasn't quite as uncomfortable as he expected. Though he knew the ancient Master didn't fully trust him, Yoda had still been a mentor to him these past eleven years, as he had to every Jedi in the temple, including those on the Council.

"About?"

Anakin sighed. He was tired. It was impossible to fall back asleep after that disturbing. He had settled for watching Padme rest; he was always amazed at how angelic and peaceful she looked in her sleep. Once he was sure she wouldn't be disturbed, he slipped out of their bed once more and meditated out on the balcony overlooking the Coruscant skyline. The terrace provided an incredible view of the city, and it proved somewhat helpful in calming his nerves until the morning dawn arrived.

Of course, he settled back into bed before Padme woke up. There was no need to worry her by making it obvious he hadn't slept. She wasn't a Jedi, and she didn't understand how tormenting prophetic dreams like this were. The Force was trying to tell him something. Last time it had been that his mother was in danger, and he had ignored that warning in favor of Obi-Wan's misguided advice. He would not make the same mistake twice.

"Death," Anakin answered, closing his eyes. Again, he saw that hauntingly familiar face from his nightmare – his own face, twisted with terrifying anger and hatred.

"Darkness."

Yoda nodded. "Hmm. Yourself, you speak of? Or someone else?"

Anakin shook away the disturbing image. "Both."

"Both, young Skywalker?" Yoda asked, ears perking up with interest.

"Someone…gets killed," Anakin said. "Murdered in cold blood."

"Someone close to you?" Yoda guessed, seeing the hints of anguish on Anakin's expression.

"Obi-Wan, Master Yoda. Obi-Wan gets killed, right before my eyes," Anakin admitted.

Yoda's ears perked up as he took this in. Over the years of training Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi had grown from a brash young Padawan into a wise and powerful Jedi Master. He had defeated a Sith and survived countless trials both physical and spiritual. Yoda was certain Qui-Gon would have been proud of the man Obi-Wan had become. And even though the Council objected to his training of young Anakin Skywalker, Yoda had to admit Obi-Wan had done a finer job than any of them expected, him included. Anakin was reckless and arrogant, but no one could deny that he was one of the most powerful and skilled Jedi in the Order.

That was why what Anakin told him now was greatly unsettling. A potential threat to the accomplished Master was not to be taken lightly. Yoda had to know more.

"Explain this vision, you must. Tell me everything."

Anakin took a deep breath. "I see fire, everywhere. It's a volcanic planet, covered in lava and flame. Obi-Wan is there. He's fighting someone; someone strong with the dark side."

"Count Dooku?"

"No," Anakin shook his head. "Someone else. Stronger, more powerful than Dooku."

Yoda was intrigued. Someone more powerful than his errant protégé? And strong in the dark side? There was only possible option as to who that could be, and just the mere thought of it stirred the beginnings of excitement in the ancient Master. For months they had been searching diligently for the true identity of the Sith Lord at the heart of this chaos. Two members of the Council were already convinced Dooku himself was the dark Master, and that the warrior Obi-Wan had killed eleven years ago on Naboo was his apprentice. Yoda acknowledged that was a possibility, but he wasn't convinced. He had known Dooku better than anyone else, and he knew his old student wasn't strong enough, or wise enough, to fully master the dark side. Someone else was out there, plotting to destroy the Republic from within; undoubtedly this "Darth Sidious" Dooku had mentioned to Obi-Wan on Geonosis.

There was no doubt in Yoda's mind that Sidious was their true enemy. And if what Dooku had revealed to Obi-Wan was true, then the Dark Lord may have already gained control of the Senate itself. As the governing body of the Republic, the Senate was vital to the entire galaxy. In the hands of the Sith, it had the potential to become a weapon of destruction far mightier than any military fleet. It was imperative that the Council discover the truth identity and whereabouts of the Sith Lord, and quickly, while there was still time enough to stop him. Hence his plea to Master Windu earlier that morning…

"Someone stronger than my old Padawan?" Yoda inquired.

"Yes. He…Obi-Wan isn't strong enough to stop him. And that's when it happens," Anakin said, trying not to recall the image of Obi-Wan's headless body. Yoda didn't press for details, seeing that Anakin was distressed simply discussing the vivid nightmare.

"Then, I finally see his face. It's not the Sith Lord, Master Yoda." Anakin said, astute enough to catch the hidden meaning in Yoda's question. He took a deep breath, knowing his next words might shock the ancient Master to the core. "It's…it's me."

As expected, the Master's reaction was instant. Yoda stared hard at Anakin, ears lifting up as a sign of surprise for his species.

"Somehow, I've turned to the dark side," Anakin stated quietly, admitting aloud to himself and Yoda the reason for his dream self's terrifying actions.

Yoda gave the slightest of nods as he took in what Anakin was confiding to him. His face remained impassive, although inside, the tiny alien Jedi was reeling from the unsettling revelation. Since he was first brought to the Temple by Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin's future had been clouded by darkness from the Council's visions. Even Yoda, with centuries of experience as an extremely wise and powerful Jedi, found it impossible to gain any true insight into Anakin's destiny. Together with the fear the Council members sensed inside the boy, it was enough to deny Qui-Gon's request that he be trained as a Jedi.

After the Jedi Master's demise, the Council had no choice but to induct Anakin into the Order. Obi-Wan would not relent from the promise he had made to Qui-Gon, and after Anakin's part in the Battle of Naboo, several Masters on the Council became convinced that Anakin could indeed be the Chosen One. Yoda didn't argue that view, but he also didn't accept it idly. Perhaps young Skywalker truly was the Chosen One. It didn't change the fact that Yoda sensed grave danger in his training. Skywalker's potential was tremendous. If he were to fall to the dark side, the damage to the Order and to the Republic itself could be catastrophic.

Over a decade later, Anakin's fate still remained clouded by that dark veil. Despite the Council's best efforts, proof of Skywalker being the Chosen One remained elusive. On the contrary, the boy had yet to develop the proper discipline and control over his emotions necessary to become a Master, much less the savior of the galaxy.

It wasn't until only recently, when Qui-Gon showed him his remarkable insight, that Yoda realized the truth. Anakin _was_ the Chosen One. For better or worse, the fate of the galaxy depended on him.

And now, it appeared there was even more reason to worry. This vision could not be dismissed as a mere dream.

But, was it anything more than one possible fate? Anakin was reckless and brash, but to the knowledge of the Council, including his former Master Obi-Wan, he had yet to demonstrate any real leanings towards the dark side. He held steady as a Jedi, resisting the dark whispers that were surely calling at him through this massive, devastating war. And was Anakin clearly not disturbed by this vision? Yoda doubted that would be the case if were already delving into his darker emotions.

"I won't betray the Jedi, Master Yoda, or the Republic," Anakin stated. Privately, he wished he felt as confident as he sounded. "But, I don't know what else this could mean."

Yoda was silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke. "Careful you must be with such visions of the future, Anakin. Always in motion, the future is."

Anakin looked downwards. He had been expecting that reply. It made him wonder whether it was wise to come here after all, if he was only going to get the same tired advice he'd been hearing all his life. But then, the Jedi Master surprised him with some very unexpected words.

"A powerful Jedi Obi-Wan is. Easily defeated he will not be, even by young Skywalker," Yoda smiled. Anakin stared at him befuddled. Was Yoda actually trying to reassure him?

"Master?"

"Sense your confusion I do, young Anakin. Misguided it is. Optimistic I can be too, when necessary it is," Yoda said. The twinkle in his eyes made it clear to Anakin this was Yoda's version of humor. While he could not say he wasn't a little…disoriented by it, he did appreciate the attempt to lighten the mood in the chamber.

Ordinarily, Yoda would have given Anakin a lecture about letting go of those closest to him, and warned him of the emotions that led to the dark side. This time however, something told him that would be precisely the wrong thing to say. He wondered where this subtle instinct was coming from. Was it Qui-Gon, steering him once again with his guidance? Or was it the Force itself, warning him that he had to be very careful in what he said to its chosen son? Anakin's temper was volatile. The wrong thing at the wrong time could easily drive him further away from them, and that was something Yoda couldn't afford to have happen.

So instead he comforted the boy, seeking to reassure him, and himself, that this was only one possible path and not a solid destiny they should be afraid of.

"Your partner on the battlefield, Obi-Wan is. Care for you, he does, as if you were his brother. Separated you must be, in order for the Dark Lord to work his influence. Allow that to happen, the Council will not. Let you fall to the dark side, Obi-Wan will not."

He turned serious. "Remember Qui-Gon's words, young Skywalker. Determines your reality, your focus does. If tempt you with its calling the dark side does, resist it you must. Only you can allow it to work its poison into you. If resist it you do, turn to the dark side, you will not."

His voice carried such conviction that Anakin could not help but believe in it. If Yoda himself believed he could resist the dark side, then perhaps he really had nothing to worry about.

Maybe it was only a dream after all.

Anakin allowed the smallest of smiles to grace his features. He had come here expecting to get some inane advice from a half-indifferent Jedi Master. Instead, he actually felt better than he did before the conversation. It was almost as if Yoda actually cared for him, instead of seeing him as just another Jedi to give advice to. Or worse, someone to scorn and rebuke the way Master Windu did.

He bowed his head, showing his deference to the older Jedi. "Thank you, Master Yoda."

"Remember: focus is the key. Lure you to the dark side, the Sith will not. Safe, your old mentor will remain."

Anakin nodded gratefully, his heart much lighter than it was only a short while ago. For once, things were looking up. He only hoped it lasted.

* * *

Padme Amidala wore a disappointed frown as she walked the halls of the Senate. It was on days like this that she wondered why she ever wanted to be a politician. The meeting today had been nothing but pure waste of time, with most of the bills senators tried to introduce shot down by the Chancellor before they even had a chance for debate. It was obvious to everyone that their esteemed Chancellor had only one thing on his mind these days…and the welfare of their people wasn't it. 

As she'd done many for the past two years, Padme privately cursed the Separatists for starting the war; the Senate for handing such power over to Palpatine so willingly. She cursed Palpatine for being so stubborn with his single-minded crusade. Most of all, she cursed herself for ever putting that man into power in the first place. Ultimately, making him the Chancellor had done nothing to aid her people against the Trade Federation. She had solved that problem all on her own, with the help of the people who were truly loyal to her – the Gungans, the guards and pilots of Naboo, the two Jedi who were assigned to her, one of whom had given his life in service to her people. Perhaps most importantly, that incredible little boy who had risked his life to destroy the droid control ship commanding the Federation army.

She smiled at the memory of how young and innocent Anakin had been back then. She then frowned as she remembered that his efforts had nearly been for nothing. All of their efforts had nearly been for nothing. The Neimoidians had been kicked off Naboo, but Viceroy Gunray was still free after four civil war trials in the Republic court. His cohorts were equally free to cause trouble, and they'd made it painfully clear they still wanted her dead so they could take over Naboo and ruin it, as they ruined everything else they touched. And what had Palpatine done to assure their distance from Naboo? Nothing. They were still liable to invade at any given moment, knowing it would take some time for the Republic to send in clone troops, and they now had the forces for it. The only thing that held them back was the fear of what would happen if they attacked a system whose senator had actually spoken out against the war. They would very likely lose the support of several key systems, and so they held back. But the threat was there.

Things weren't looking too bright for the galaxy at the moment. The situation was worse than it had ever been and the Chancellor wasn't making things better with his blatant grab for power. Palpatine had become utterly useless in safeguarding the interests of the people, and it was painfully clear to Padme that he was on his way to quite possibly becoming a bigger threat than the Separatists themselves. Never did she regret anything more than the day she placed him into power. If she had known then what she knew now…

Alas, that ship had sailed. There was no use in dwelling on the past. Better to look at the future. And the future that awaited her right now was some private time with her favorite Jedi Knight.

She was accompanied by her contingency of handmaidens and bodyguards, six in total. It could be seen by some as overkill having four security guards and two handmaidens trained in combat themselves at her side in this part of the Republic. But things were not always what they seemed, and Padme had learned long ago to be cautious. With the war raging as it was nowadays, even the halls of the Senate building could be considered unsafe. One never knew where Separatist assassins were hiding, waiting to pick off an important senator from the Republic. Having been the victim of several assassination attempts over her lifetime, Padme preferred to lean on the side of vigilance.

Besides, Anakin insisted on her having extra security when he wasn't around, which was really most of the time. While nobody could protect her as well as he could, it made him feel a bit more secure to know Captain Typho had more men looking after her. It also made him jealous somewhat, but Padme chose to ignore that aspect.

She was almost away from this madhouse when she heard a voice call her name across the corridor.

"Senator Amidala!"

Padme stopped and turned to look back at the source. Her entourage did the same, ready to guard their senator in case of an attack. But all she saw was a blond haired man of about Anakin's height in the muted outfit of a Senator's aide. The man was almost rushing to her party, as though he had some urgent message for her.

"May I help you?" she inquired politely.

Throwing a nodding glance at her guards, the man stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Senator, I need to speak with you. It's about…" He paused, looking around as if to see if there was anyone nearby. There wasn't, but nonetheless he lowered his voice. "It's about Chancellor Palpatine," he said discreetly.

Padme's face took on a stern note. "I see." She glanced back at her entourage, sharing a curious look with Captain Typho.

"May I ask who sent you?"

The man didn't miss a beat. "Senator Bel Iblis, of Corellia. I believe you know him from some years prior."

"I do indeed," Padme stated neutrally. Garm Bel Iblis was one of the Senators who opposed the Military Creation Act early on in the Separatist crisis. He had not been heard from since he declared Corellia's borders off-limits shortly before the war, invoking a clause of introspective solitude that was centuries old. It had only been used once before in the history of the Republic, and Corellia's withdraw was a great loss for opponents of the Military Creation Act. The Senator himself was a great man, sharing many of her views, and…

Padme froze as a vital aspect of the situation struck her. _And a rival of Senator Palpatine._

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She had to verify this man was who he said he was, of course. But assuming he was…

"All right. What does the Senator have to speak to me about?"

"Not here," the man told her, taking another look around. And indeed, two of Palpatine's Red Guards were making their way down the corridor. "It's not safe out here."

Padme nodded back at her guards, who fully lowered their weapons. They had maintained them in a semi-raised stance, just in case there was some danger to the Senator. However, it was obvious now the man really did just want to talk to her. And if the Senator's reaction was any indication, this could be something important.

"How about my office? We can speak there," Padme suggested.

"Is it secure?"

"Yes. The Chancellor has no guards of his own in that section. And," she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "we check regularly for hidden devices."

She supposed she should have been more careful in letting that slip. However, something told her this man wasn't a spy from the Chancellor. He seemed genuinely concerned about the possibility of a breach in privacy, looking distinctly uncomfortable now that the Red Guards were approaching. The Chancellor wouldn't go through this much trouble just for her.

"Okay. Sounds fair enough," the man agreed with a nod.

Now accompanied by the unusual senatorial aide, the entourage continued on their way from the uncertain corridor. It didn't escape her that the man seemed unusually tense in her presence, or that her guards and handmaidens seemed to share that tension. Were they sensing some kind of danger? It seemed unlikely, but perhaps the feeling was so subconscious even they weren't entirely aware of it. She however, was, and she wondered if that was a product of spending so much time with a Jedi.

The most unusual thing was that this sense of danger, or rather unease, was not focused around their new companion, who was the by far the logical choice. Instead it was centered on the Red Guards, who were already rather intimidating as it was.

Undeterred, Padme vowed to find out the truth behind this unexpected encounter. She didn't realize the revelation that awaited her, one that would shatter her entire world with its magnitude.

* * *

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	6. Startling Revelations

Disclaimer: GL owns Star Wars. No surprise there. 

AN: Sorry for the long delay, guys. It's not easy managing so many stories, in addition to the ever present Darth Real Life. On the plus side, I'm glad some of you are enjoying my latest story, "The Roaming Eye." It was a nice break for a while, to concentrate on something less serious. Look for an update for that one sometime next week.

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Startling Revelations**

Padme Amidala had heard a lot of shocking things throughout her life, some of them from her acquaintances. It was astounding, the lack of morality that pervaded the political arenas of the galaxy. Here on Coruscant, the Senate was constant proof that there were some despicable beings to be found in the Republic. Yet nothing Padme had heard from her political associates could possibly compare to what she had found out only minutes earlier.

She was still reeling from the impact of the revelation. She sat numbly on the sofa in the lounge. Captain Typho had exited the apartment – she had a requested a moment alone and he had honored the request, going outside the survey the security on the premises.

Perhaps he had the same misgivings she did about this place. Suddenly this no longer seemed like a secure haven. She felt as though there were eyes hidden inside the very walls, observing her every moment. Unauthorized devices carrying out their espionage, listening in on her private conversations…if she spoke, _he_ would overhear her treasonous thoughts.

_**Barely an hour earlier…**_

The Naboo entourage arrived at Amidala's apartment suite, mysterious stranger in tow. Padme's handmaidens were quickly dismissed as the Senator and her guards got down to business. The guards searched the man thoroughly until Captain Typho was assured he was carrying no concealed weapons. Afterwards the guards were allowed to resume their duties, leaving the Senator and their captain to deal with their unexpected guest.

The Senator invited him to take a seat. "Please, make yourself comfortable," she stated, indicating a hand at the sofa. There were two of them, facing one another in the center of a luxurious relaxation area. This was where the Senator entertained her guests. Towards the back, the man saw a doorway possibly leading to the Senator's private chambers. Presumably Amidala's guards and handmaidens had quarters nearby as well.

Surrounded by arched windows, the lounge had a magnificent view of the Coruscant that was absolutely breathtaking. Padme was very fond of this apartment, and it pleased her to see their guest was visibly impressed.

"Can I get you something to drink? I have some fabulous Corellian brandy," Padme offered. Captain Typho stood at the door, carefully observing their honored guest.

"No thanks," the man replied. Padme raised an eyebrow. "I don't mean to be rude. I, uh…I don't drink," he quickly added.

Padme was a little surprised. That was rather unusual for a Corellian. Then again, not all Corellians were drinkers, just as not all Nabooans were pacifists. Chancellor Palpatine was proof enough of that.

"May I ask why?" she asked curiously.

"I prefer to be fully aware of my surroundings at all time," the man replied.

"I can understand that. But isn't this overreacting?"

"That's what the Senator says. He doesn't feel the need to go to such extremes. I disagree. With everything that's been going on lately, can you really take the chance?"

"Good point," Padme conceded, taking a seat across from him. They were all paranoid nowadays, fearful of what else the Chancellor would do to destroy their liberty. His agents were everywhere, spying on the senators and anyone else who might pose a threat to him, in addition to the agents the Separatists had infiltrated onto the capital and other Republic worlds. One had to keep their wits about them at all time, if they were to survive all the scheming and manipulation taking place in the Republic these days.

"Besides, the Senator can attest to the danger of a seemingly innocent treat. He's almost been poisoned several times through his drinks," the man continued.

Padme gave a slight gasp, recalling her own experiences with failed assassination attempts. "I didn't know that."

"It's not something we let loose from under wraps. Not everyone agrees with the Senator's decision to isolate Corellia. We don't want the public to know their revered senator is under constant threat of assassination." He smiled wryly at her. "Not that you would do that, of course."

"Of course," Padme said, unsettled despite his dry wit; or perhaps, because of it. She paused to collect her thoughts, before charging into the discussion. "Very well. First thing's first. How do I really know you were sent here by Bel Iblis?"

The man had been expecting that. "The Senator knew you would ask that. Here," he said, taking a datapad from one of his pockets, "this should explain everything."

Padme took the proffered datapad. "What's you name?" she inquired, eyes skimming through the content.

"Chris Summers, my lady. I am currently a representative of Bel Iblis on an 'as needed' basis," the man replied. Padme looked over him curiously.

"You seem a little old to be an aide," she stated. This man had to be in his early thirties, at least. He almost looked like an older version of Anakin, except with somewhat different hair.

"I agree, which is why my service as an aide is only temporary. I, uh…I'm usually a bodyguard in the Senator's security force," he confided, lowing his voice to a conspiratorial tone. "The Senator uses me for assignments he doesn't trust to the other assistants. Ones that might involve a certain element of danger; too much so for an ordinary servant to carry out."

"I see," Padme said. It wasn't that unusual. Her own handmaidens functioned in a similar fashion. Although they were primarily advisers and assistants, the handmaidens also doubled as bodyguards when necessary. Kind of the reverse of what Bel Iblis had gone for. Not that she was surprised. The Senator was a man of action. He probably preferred his people to be such as well.

She put down the datapad. It certainly looked like Bel Iblis' personal seal, and his electronic signature as well. Letters of importance like this could be faked, but rarely to this extent. Either this man was the genuine article, or else, he was one of the finest forgers Padme had ever seen. She decided to wager on the former.

"All right. What does the Senator wish to speak to me about?"

Summers cast a mistrustful glance at Amidala's lead bodyguard.

"Perhaps it would be better if we spoke about this in private," he stated. Typho immediately shook his head.

"Uh-uh. No way. If you want to have this conversation, you will have to do it with me present. I will not leave the Senator's side," the Captain said. Padme raised an eyebrow at his protest. Was that a note of hostility in his voice? Summers seemed to have picked it up as well, since he was now sending a curious glance his way, one the Captain returned with a barely veiled glare. She immediately tried to diffuse the rising tension.

"Captain Typho is my security adviser, Mr. Summers. If you want me to listen, then he stays," Padme said. Summers sighed, but did not offer protest.

"Very well." He glanced back at the man. "Actually, it might be better if he hears this too."

The Senator was surprised at the sudden change in demeanor. "Was that some kind of test?" Padme asked, mildly amused.

"Let's just say the Senator will find it reassuring you have so much faith in your people," Chris responded.

"Fair enough. Go on," Padme nodded.

The man hesitated before responding. "What do you know of the connection between the Senate and the Sith Lord behind this war?"

Padme traded an incredulous look with Captain Typho. How did he know that?

"Only what my…friend Anakin has told me, she said cautiously, quickly covering for her near faux pas. It was incredibly unprofessional, almost letting her…_their_ secret slip like that, but she very thrown off by the knowledge that Bel Iblis and his aides knew about the Sith.

"How do you know about that?" she asked.

Chris gave her a tight smile. "The Senator is not without his resources. The Jedi are keeping a tight lid on this. But we have ways of probing into their inner workings."

Padme shared another look with Typho. "And what has this information told you?" she asked warily.

Summers was unhesitant. "That the Chancellor is at the root of this whole mess."

"Are you saying the Chancellor is connected to the Sith?" Padme asked in shock. Never in her career as a senator and former queen could she ever have been prepared for the words that came from this man next.

Summers looked at her with utmost seriousness. "Senator, he _is_ the Sith Lord."

Silence.

"What?!" Padme's voice came out in a barely audible croak. Suddenly her throat felt very dry indeed. He couldn't have said what she thought she heard.

"You heard me, Senator. I know it's not easy to hear."

"I…" Padme struggled to regain her voice, "it can't be. There must be some mistake."

"There is no mistake, Senator. Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord the Jedi have been looking for," Summers assured her confidently.

Senator Amidala once again fell silent. How did one respond to such an outrageous accusation? She had been trained to negotiate with countless species throughout the galaxy and to settle volatile conflicts without as much as a hint of bloodshed. Yet nothing in her political regimen had prepared her for the possibility that the man she served so faithfully – the man they all served in the Senate – was in fact the worst enemy the galaxy had seen.

Apparently she wasn't the only disbeliever.

"Oh I don't believe this. This is what you called the Senator here for? This pathetic attempt at a joke?" Captain Typho demanded.

"Captain Typho?"

"Senator, surely you don't believe what this man is saying! This load of bantha dung can't possibly be true!"

"Captain…" Chris tried to interject.

"Chancellor Palpatine can't possibly be the Sith Lord. The Jedi would have sensed it."

"You overestimate their abilities, Captain," Summers told him. "The Jedi have grown weak and corrupt. They are not the light they once were in the universe."

Typho shook his head. "I don't believe it. And neither should you, Senator," he said to Padme. "I can't we believe we wasted our time on this garbage."

He turned towards the man on the sofa. "Get up."

"What?"

"You heard me," Typho mocked. "I don't care who sent you. Bel Iblis or not, nobody brings these ridiculous claims to the Naboo delegation," he declared, hauling Chris up to his feet.

"Now wait just a minute…"

"Captain, let's not be hasty," Padme tried to negotiate.

"Senator, with all due respect, this is now a security issue. I advise you to stay out of it. This man is not worthy of your attention."

He fixed Summers with a heated glare. "Let's go."

"You're making a mistake," Chris tried one last time. Only Padme noticed how his voice had deepened, subtly but noticeably.

"The only mistake I made was letting the Senator bring you here in the first place," Typho replied tersely. "Now, move."

His grip on the aide's arm tightened as he led the man to the door. When that grip became vice-like firm, fingers sinking into his flesh, Chris had had enough.

Before Typho knew it he was on the floor, with his own weapon pointed at him. Summers had tossed to the ground by his arm and drawn his blaster as swiftly as a Tangarian viper. Padme uttered a startle cry as she got to her feet in response. The empowered aide ignored her, focusing instead on holding the guard captain at bay.

"_Never_ lay you hands on me again. Understood?" Summers stated, in a deadly, icy voice.

Typho merely nodded, too shocked by the sudden attack to do anything else. Padme reached for her comlink, ready to call the other guards if necessary. But to her surprise, Summers flipped the weapon and offered it to Typho grip-first. To her credit, she understood it almost instantly. It was an act of trust, meant to show them that he meant them no harm. Typho hesitated to take the proffered weapon, but eventually decided the intent was genuine. He gratefully placed the blaster in its holster. Next Chris offered him a hand while keeping the other at bay, just in case Typho attacked him. Again the Captain was reluctant.

Chris' face softened. "I'm trying to help you," he said calmly, yet with a note of urgency in his tone.

Typho looked to Amidala for help. Upon her subtle nod, the Captain finally accepted the Corellian aide's hand. Summers pulled him to his feet and clapped the guard on shoulder, to show there was no harm done. Padme might have been mistaken, but she swore she saw a note of respect pass between the two men, ever so briefly.

"Now, if you just sit down and listen to me, I will explain why we believe this theory is correct," Summers stated.

Padme agreed to his suggestion. What choice did they have? This man had demonstrated clearly he could defend himself, but the fact that he had not attacked them afterwards showed that he meant them no harm. And if he had gone to all this trouble to reach them, then the senator from Corellia clearly had some basis for his belief. It was the least she could do to hear him out.

And so she gave the aide his chance. She sat with the poise of fourteen years of public service, and listened as the man shattered her world as she knew it.

* * *

The Council meeting had been called with no prior warning. Usually there was some indication a few hours before a meeting that day. At the very least, one usually had a chance to do some training or meditation before the actual session. Not this time, though, and Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel anxious at what lay ahead. Meetings like this where becoming frequent as the war increased in ferocity, and usually they signified one thing: an emergency. Sometimes it was news that a Master or Knight had been seriously wounded, other times it was disheartening info that a planet had been lost to the Separatists. Either way, it was usually not something that brought encouragement to their tired souls. 

He had a bad feeling about this.

The Council members were all gathered by the time he arrived. He noticed Master Yoda and Master Windu in particular had very stern expressions on their faces.

"Please be seated," Mace gestured towards Obi-Wan's chair. Once Kenobi had taken his seat next to Yoda, the meeting was called to session.

"I apologize for calling you on such short notice," the Korun Master started, gazing at all those around him in the room. "However, I assure you this is of the utmost importance to the future of our Order."

He couldn't have chosen a better set of words to start with. Everyone was immediately on alert, focusing their complete attention on the leader of the Council.

"As you all know, the Chancellor has been increasingly aggressive in his pursuit of power over the Senate. He has been granted more and more emergency powers, to the point where over half of the Senate's authority now lies in his hands – all under the basis of reluctantly accepting these newfound responsibilities."

The Councilors nodded. They all knew that Palpatine had no qualms about 'accepting' more authority from the Senate. Most of the bills pushing for the extension of emergency powers came from his own people. Not the Naboo, but the supporters Palpatine had garnered himself in the Senate; supporters who now hounded anyone who didn't agree with the Chancellor's methods.

"I don't presume anybody here has been fooled by the façade of benevolence he presents?"

A resounding no echoed through the chamber, in the form of a simple shake of the head.

"Then we are in agreement the Chancellor presents a grave threat to democracy, if his continued pursuit of emergency powers continues unopposed?"

Another nod, in unison. However, this one was tinged with some definite hints of confusion. With the exception of Master Yoda, they were all wondering the same thing. Where was Master Windu going with this?

Adi Gallia felt compelled to speak. "I agree. If I may be so bold, where are you going with this, Mace?"

"Master Yoda and I have been conferring on the situation with the Chancellor," Mace replied. He paused, knowing this was going to a shock to the others.

Several Council members leaned on the edge of their seat. This sounded serious.

"We have decided to begin an investigation into the Chancellor's private dealings," the dark skinned Master declared.

A ripple of shock reverberated through the chamber. As expected, the Council members were floored. Discussing the Chancellor's policies was one thing. Acting against them was an entirely different set of circumstances.

"Are you sure that's wise, Master Windu?" Agen Kolar asked.

"We don't have a choice. The Chancellor is a threat to the Jedi Order. He has slowly been turning the Republic into a dictatorship, and we have done nothing to stop it. Instead we've sat back and watched as he assimilates countless political abilities into his control, powers that once belonged to the Senate."

Mace cast a stern gaze over the occupants of the room. "He is stripping the Senate of its power. How long do you think it'll be before he targets the Jedi Order?"

"Even so, isn't a formal investigation a little extreme?" Saesee Tiin pointed out.

"This will not be a formal investigation," Mace told him. "There will be no record of this meeting kept in the daily log."

The Council members murmured amongst themselves as they absorbed that. An unofficial investigation? It was almost unheard of with regards to someone at this level of power.

Something didn't feel right about this. It was not like Master Windu to suggest such a rash course of action. Indeed, what he was suggesting was almost tantamount to treason.

"Mace, is this really necessary?" Shaak Ti asked.

"I was thinking the same thing myself," Adi remarked dryly. "I'm sorry Master Windu, but this all sounds a little…hasty on your part."

"I agree. Master Windu, you've always stated that you dislike politics and believe the Jedi should be kept away from them. Why the sudden turnabout?" Even Piell asked of Mace.

"Indeed. Why should we not let the Senate deal with this matter?" Oppo Rancisis, another dissenting voice.

"The Councilors have a point. Do you have any proof the Chancellor is plotting against the Jedi?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

Mace raised a cynical eyebrow at him. "What proof do you need, Ki-Adi? The Chancellor's continued acceptance of his emergency powers speaks for itself. Our loyalty is to democracy, not to a leader who has proven that he does not have the interests of the Republic at heart, and cares only about his own power."

"Then why not contact the Senate and tell them of our concern? Surely they would be able to wrest power away from the Chancellor if necessary," Kit Fisto pointed out.

"Do you really believe that, Kit? The Senators are the ones giving him those powers in the first place. Face it, this is the only way to determine what the Chancellor is up to," Windu stated.

Obi-Wan had been watching the proceedings in silence. He still wasn't comfortable voicing his opinion in the Council meetings, unless it was something directly to Anakin. Being a relatively new member of the Council, it was something that came naturally to him…and something he would have to work on in the future. Right now however, it was actually serving a greater purpose. By keeping his opinions to himself, it allowed him to sit back and watch as the mood of the Council meeting shifted back and forth, without being an active participant. He could silently observe everybody's body language and Force aura, without giving away any hints of his own thoughts.

He noticed Master Yoda hadn't said a word since the meeting started. He wasn't the only one.

"Master Yoda, you've been rather quiet about the subject," Agen Kolar commented. "I take it this means you agree with Master Windu?"

Obi-Wan could have smiled that another Master had picked up on the same thing he had, sparing him from having to make the observation himself. He turned his gaze on the ancient Master, carefully observing his response.

Yoda was silent for a long time. Finally, he exhaled deeply. "A necessary course of action, this is. Determine we must, the Chancellor's intentions for the Republic."

There was a defeated expression on his face, as though it pained him to admit it. Obi-Wan wondered why. Certainly the news that they were going to investigate the Chancellor was worth alarm, but did it warrant this type of reaction? It wasn't that monumental in nature.

Or was it?

There was definitely something off with their two most senior members today. Mace was being unusually bold, and Yoda…Yoda looked like he wanted to be any place but there. Which begged the question, why? What could be the reason for their bizarre behavior? Was there they were not telling them, something pertaining to the Chancellor?

Where they hiding something?

"I can understand your concerns, Councilors. But we assure you, this is the best course of action. The Chancellor has to be investigated, for the sake of the Republic," Mace replied.

"Is that the only reason?"

Everyone turned towards the image in the corner, though not without some sense of surprise. Plo Koon rarely spoke in Council meetings. The fact that he was doing so via hologram did not diminish the significance of this occurrence.

Mace shared a glance with his counterpart. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"What I mean is, is that the only reason for your decision? Or is there something else we should know about?"

"Are you implying we're deliberately withholding information from the Council?" Windu asked, eyebrow raised in mild disbelief.

"Answer the question, Mace," Plo Koon said, voice unusually abrupt.

"Plo…"

"Is there something else that you're not telling us?" Plo Koon asked, before Mace had a chance to continue.

Mace held the other Master's glance firm. Plo Koon returned it as easily as if it were a first year Padawan he was staring at. If there was one Jedi who was not at all intimidated by Mace Windu, it was Plo Koon. Finally, Mace relented.

"Yes. There is another reason for our decision," he admitted, much to everyone's surprise. "However, it is not one that we can share with you at this time."

"When?"

"Soon. Within the next day or so. First we have to be sure of certain things," Mace promised.

"And how do you plan to initiate this investigation?" Plo Koon inquired.

Windu's eyes turned on Kenobi. "Obi-Wan, how is Anakin as of late? Is he in an agreeable mood?"

"Um… I believe so," Obi-Wan said, shifting under Mace's scrutinizing gaze. He didn't feel comfortable with the way the older Councilor was looking at him. "Why?"

Mace shared another glance with Yoda. Upon Yoda's subtle nod, he turned back to Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan, we need you to talk to Anakin. Tell him that we'll need to speak with him soon. He may have information that could be useful to our pursuit," Windu said.

Something about that statement set off warning bells in Obi-Wan's mind. Anakin? Why would the Council need to speak to him? Granted, he and the Chancellor were close friends, but Anakin didn't know anything more about the man's political aspirations than they did. Did he? So why would Mace want to talk to him? Unless…

_No…_Obi-Wan mentally denied, as a vague suspicion began to take hold. Surely that had to be a flight of fancy. Even Master Windu wouldn't be that heartless, right? Nonetheless, he became more wary with his senses as he addressed the Korun Jedi.

"Um…" Obi-Wan swallowed, still taken aback by the request. "Yes Master." He looked at Windu's inquisitive face, as though he expected Obi-Wan to ask something else. "Do you want me to do that right now?"

"Yes please," Windu said.

Obi-Wan got up from the Council chair.

"And Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan turned back.

"Make sure he knows this is a request, not an order," Mace emphasized. Obi-Wan nodded, holding back the urge to respond with a sharp retort. Suddenly he wasn't quite as trustful of the other man as he had been before this meeting.

"Anakin? What has he got to do with this?" Shaak Ti asked, once Obi-Wan had gone.

Mace silently conferred with Yoda on whether to answer her or not. The response came to him as quickly as a heartbeat. No, not yet. The time wasn't ready for them to know just yet. They were still getting used to the idea of investigating the highest ranking official in the Republic. If he were to drop on them now the notion that this was all just a test for the Chosen One, there was no telling how they'd react. And he knew the older Master still had doubts about this plan in its entirety. Mace was not a frequent sabaac player, but he knew he had to keep his cards close to his chest on this one.

It was only one more day. Once Obi-Wan got Anakin's agreement to speak with them, they would be ready to proceed. And once they did, he would know whether the Chosen One was worthy of his respect. One way or another…

* * *

_So, Amidala knows the truth. The question is, will she believe it as such, or deny it because it's too incredible? And how does she know the Chancellor is not aware of this plot against him? Will Mace's plan backfire as Obi-Wan figures out what he really wants to ask of Anakin? _

_Stick with the story, folks. It's the only way you'll know the answers to those questions. As always, read and review. :)_


	7. Dangerous Secrets

Disclaimer: Do I really have to put this? George Lucas owns everything that is Star Wars. What little he doesn't own is owned by either Timothy Zahn, June Watson, and any other number of authors from the EU books. I, of course, own nothing. Not even enough money to buy Lego Star Wars for the PS2. (cries)

AN: As promised, I've removed the author's note I posted last time. I wanted to post this chapter on Wednesday of last week, in honor of the 4th of July. Unfortunately it didn't work out that way, and I haven't had to be online at my usual hours for the past few days. On the plus side, it did enable to me to take the chapter further than I had expected.

I do have one other thing I want to talk about. I've noticed that there are a few people hanging around here who don't even read the stories with an open mind. Instead, they hang around looking for a story to flame. When they find one that is vulnerable, they jump on it like a savage zombie gnawing at a meaty bone. This happened with "Burn", which is one great Padme story, and it happened with one of my friend Andrea's fics, despite its creativity and the dedication she put into it. To anyone who is thinking of flaming this story, don't. Just don't. Flames will be ignored and the person doing the flaming will be mocked until the end of eternity. Believe me, I am flameproof. However, other people aren't, and that's why I'm posting this message. Flaming is not cool. There is nothing more pathetic than someone who lives to torment others. When that's all you're capable of, you're pretty much worthless in the eyes of others. It doesn't matter if you are a man, a woman, or an alien from Mars. If you flame someone, you are a loser. Loser! You could have a college degree and a 180 I.Q., but if you stoop to flaming to drive your point across, you just plain suck. Nobody will respect and you will be mocked endlessly across message boards and fanfic sites. You get it? Flamers suck.

These are the same guys who pick on people at school; who act like complete jerks at the workplace and then wonder why everybody hates them. So they come here and try to ruin other people's days to make themselves feel better. And then, some of them act like it's our loss that we're losing their readership, like the idiot who flamed "Burn". Please. If that's the attitude you bring to the table, we don't want you reading. We don't need you. We have plenty of others readers who will read our stories and offer respectful, valid criticism without turning into a jackass. And if the only time you can offer a review is to be a jackass and say how much somebody sucks, then you're the one who sucks instead.

In short, just avoid flaming, people. It's just not cool and you're only making yourself look like a moron in the long run. So, keep that in mind and be respectful to all authors on this site, regardless of their age, stories, or proficiency.

Enjoy the story!

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Dangerous Secrets**

The meeting adjourned several hours later. In addition to the announcement from Master Windu, there were several subjects to cover that morning, ranging from the progress of the war to which Padawans were up for Knighthood. One by one the Council members filed out of the room, each one heading off in their own direction for the day, until only Mace and Yoda remained lingered outside the Council chambers.

The Korun Master walked by side with Yoda, each one absorbed in contemplation over what had happened in the Council chambers.

"They put forth more resistance than I expected," Mace spoke at last.

Yoda didn't answer, giving the other Master a wary glance.

"Can you blame them?" a voice said from behind them.

The two Masters turned around, immediately sensing the new presence in the area. And when Mace saw who it was that addressed him, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Qui-Gon?"

The spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn stood shimmering with a blue aura around him, almost like a holo-transmission without the projector.

"They think you're merely playing politics against the Chancellor. They don't fully understand the threat the Chancellor represents to the Republic," Qui-Gon stated.

"Qui-Gon…how is this possible?" Windu asked, the awe evident in his voice.

"I don't have time to answer that at the moment, my friend," Qui-Gon said. He paused. "If you need answers, you'll want to talk to Master Yoda."

Mace stared down at the aged Master. "You knew about this?"

Yoda nodded silently.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Mace demanded.

"Tell you about this, I could not. Believed me, you would have not," Yoda said, meeting the other Master's gaze evenly.

As much as he wanted to, Mace could not deny the veracity of his claim. He had spent his life believing that once you passed from this world, you became one with the Force. It was one of the reasons attachment was forbidden. There was no sense in wasting time with someone in a relationship when you would ultimately be separated after death, time that could be spent serving the greater good.

That was the life of a Jedi, and there was no questioning it for Mace's part. Until now. If Yoda had told Mace that there was a way to retain one's identity after death, he would have thought the old Master was becoming unreasonable with his faculties. As it was, he could barely believe that this man was standing here in front of him, the same man who had been murdered on Naboo twelve years ago.

But Mace was an adaptable man, able to adjust to any situation. He focused dark brown eyes on Qui-Gon.

"Why are you here?" he asked, quickly gathering his bearings as if proof of the afterlife was not standing there before him.

"Because you are making a terrible mistake by pursuing this investigation," Qui-Gon replied.

"What? But you just said –"

"I agree the Chancellor is a threat. However, the Councilors are right to be concerned about this turn of events," Qui-Gon said. Mace Windu frowned. He didn't like what Qui-Gon was getting at.

"I know you plan to have Anakin spy on the Chancellor," the deceased Master clarified. He fixed Master Windu with a hard stare, one that would have intimidated anyone else with its sternness.

Mace turned on Yoda's quiet presence.

"You told him about this?"

"Need to tell him about this, I did not. Watching over us all, he has been," Yoda replied.

"I assure you, Yoda had nothing to do with this. He was only doing what I'd asked of him," Qui-Gon said.

The dark skinned Master hesitated before responding. "Telling me to trust in young Skywalker," he said, putting the pieces together.

"Mace, I know your opinion of Anakin isn't exactly favorable, but you have to understand where the boy is coming from. Anakin is not a normal Jedi. You cannot treat him the same as everyone else and expect him to fall in line. Neither can you display nothing for him but scorn and expect him to afford you respect. Anakin is a sensitive spirit."

"Sensitive?" Mace scoffed. "Then why hasn't he sensed the duplicitous nature of his _friend_?"

"Anakin's situation is complicated. In Palpatine, Anakin has found the support he thinks the Council lacks for him. The Temple can be a cold place at times. Anakin has not been able to adapt well to it. It's too different from what he knew as a child, having been loved by his mother a great deal," Qui-Gon explained.

The other's expression bristled. Mace felt insulted at Qui-Gon's claim that the Temple was unfriendly.

"Then perhaps he should not be a Jedi."

"Mace –"

"And while we're on the subject, perhaps you're not the most objective person when it comes to the boy."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You were always one of Anakin's biggest supporters. You brought him before the Council, Qui-Gon, and then spent that entire afternoon showing him around the Temple. And I heard how well you treated him while you were on Tatooine. Even among the ones who wanted him trained, none of the Council members could approach your level of devotion to the boy."

"What are you saying, Master Windu?" The tightness was audible in Qui-Gon's voice. He was barely holding back his annoyance.

"Only that perhaps your…attachment to this boy clouds your judgment," Mace remarked casually, far too much for Qui-Gon's taste.

"Mace, things aren't that simple. Anakin is the Chosen One. But he'll have a hard time fulfilling that destiny if the Council is hounding him at every turn," Qui-Gon said in exasperation. There was a tinge of anger in his tone.

Stalemate. The two Masters traded firm glares, neither willing to bend, until Mace asked the one question that mattered most.

"Tell me this. Are you omniscient in your current form?"

The spirit looked down slightly. "No," Qui-Gon admitted reluctantly.

"Then you cannot be sure that this is not the right path to take," Mace stated confidently.

"It's more than just a hint of disturbance, Mace. I have a terrible feeling that this going to cause grave consequences for our order. I know you're certain of your logic, but please, I beg you. Do not undertake this investigation! Find some other way to uncover the Chancellor's secrets," Qui-Gon argued fiercely. He was all but pleading with the man, and he knew it.

Mace was taken aback at the uncharacteristic plea by the other Master. He seemed so forthright and concerned about their well being, Windu almost found himself ready to give in.

But Mace was a man of principle, and his principles were telling him that Anakin needed this test of his capabilities as a Jedi. He breathed a weary sigh, one that was almost apologetic in nature.

"You and Yoda have told me to trust Anakin. And indeed, you make a compelling argument. However, I cannot. Not until he's established where his priorities lie. If Anakin proves his loyalty to the Order, he will gain my complete trust, I assure you. But until that time comes, I cannot take the risk of putting my faith in him."

And with that, Mace turned on his heels and left the hall, not giving the other Master a chance to respond.

Qui-Gon watched the retreating form of Mace Windu with a blend of disappointment and stunned disbelief. He had failed. For all his warnings of danger and the sheer impact of his presence, nothing he had said had been about to make the impression he wanted. He had been too lenient, his opponent too unwilling, and all the logic in the world had been unable to convince Mace Windu that what he was doing was precisely the wrong course of action.

"Kriff!" Qui-Gon cursed, pumping his corporeal fists. He had failed to persuade Master Windu this idea was a danger, and now he would go ahead with his plan. He would attempt to expose the Chancellor through the worst possible means, and Anakin would be the one to suffer the consequences.

"Blame him for this, you should not. Set in his ways Master Windu is," Yoda reminded him. He waited a moment before speaking. "And cautious with your anger, you should be."

"I know that Master!" Qui-Gon snapped. Upon Yoda's reproving glance, he added, "I'm sorry, Master. But I can't help it."

He took a calming breath. "He's making a mistake. Doing this will only alienate Anakin from the Council. That's exactly what the Sith Lord wants, for Anakin to distance himself from us so he can work his influence on him."

"Realize that I do, Qui-Gon."

"And what do you plan to do about it?"

"Not much I can do, there is, except try to convince him otherwise," Yoda replied.

The spectral Master frowned, mulling over his counterpart's words.

Suddenly, Qui-Gon received a vision of the Temple in flames. Bodies were scattered around the hallways, some of them shot to death, others slashed by a weapon that clearly had to be a lightsaber. And at the center of the vision, striking down the remaining Jedi, was a Sith warrior of unexpected power clad in black, his eyes glowing demonically beneath his cowl.

It could only be the one thing he feared the most.

"Qui-Gon?"

Qui-Gon shook his head and blinked his eyes rapidly. The terrible images disappeared, but the sense of terror they had inspired in him remained intact. Were he still alive, he was certain he would be breaking out in a cold sweat. He turned his gaze on his fellow Jedi.

"Master Yoda?"

"Saw that I did," Yoda confirmed with a nod. Looking closely, Qui-Gon realized that he was trembling, subtly but noticeably.

"We have to do something. We can't let this nightmare come to pass."

"I agree."

"Then what is the problem? Master, this isn't some meaningless bureaucratic argument. The future of the entire Jedi Order is at stake. You have to set your foot down," Qui-Gon stated resolutely.

"Not an easy thing, that is. Second on the Council, Master Windu is. Full authority he has, to undertake this investigation."

The other Master sighed. For the longest time he said nothing. "There is one thing you can do," he finally stated.

Yoda knew what he was referring to. As Grand Master of the Order, Yoda had the power of veto on his side. If the ancient Jedi believed an idea such as this was a threat to their safety, he could veto Mace's proposal without permission from the rest of the Council.

The problem was that Mace was an incredibly respected Master on the Council. Even if Yoda voted down his idea, Mace would still be able to convince the others his idea had merit. He was too well respected. Even Plo Koon would bend to his will, despite his initial objections. And if Mace got the entire Council on his side, it wouldn't matter whether or not Yoda vetoed his idea. He would be overruled through sheer numbers alone.

Which was exactly how it was supposed to work. The system was set up to maintain balance and order among the Jedi. It prevented any one member of the Council from becoming too powerful. Unfortunately, the problem was that this was no ordinary circumstance. Yoda sensed disaster lurking about this proposal, almost as much as Qui-Gon did.

"Not certain I am that would work this time, Qui-Gon. Too powerful a Jedi, Master Windu is."

"But you have to at least try," Qui-Gon insisted.

Both Masters exhaled in frustration, the latter more out of habit. It was not that Yoda didn't want to help. The problem was evident; the solution was just a bit more complicated. Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of defeat. There was nothing more he could do here.

It was a long time before the Jedi spoke again.

"My time is limited," Qui-Gon said suddenly with a touch of harshness in his voice. "It takes a vast amount of energy and effort to maintain this form. I will not be able to communicate with you for the following weeks."

Yoda said nothing in response. It was obvious this conversation was over. And judging by his tone, the Master was not pleased his inability to halt Master Windu's destructive actions. Were they still on the same level of existence, Yoda would have rebuked the other for his insolence and kept his worries to himself. As it was, he could no longer do that. Qui-Gon was the one in touch with the greater power now.

"Sorry I am for this, Qui-Gon," Yoda apologized regretfully.

The other Master turned his back on him. Clearly an apology was not enough to alleviate his concerns. What good was an apology when the lives of every Jedi were at stake? Soon Yoda turned his back on Qui-Gon too, unable to look at the man without feeling some profound sense of shame…a Jedi who sought to save them, yet found himself thwarted by his own former friend.

Quite aware of the ancient Jedi's dilemma, though not feeling particularly sympathetic, Qui-Gon cast him one last look. "I warn you, Master Yoda. If you value the position the Jedi have gotten into as guardians of the Republic, do not let Master Windu go through with this." His spectral form began to fade as Qui-Gon shifted out of existence.

By the time Yoda turned to look at him, he was gone. The old green Jedi stared at the deserted hallway of the Temple, which suddenly looked more eerie than it had before. The lack of Knights or Masters, or even Padawans was disquieting, unnatural…ominous. Was this how it would be when the entire collective of Jedi were the victims of Palpatine's wrath? Would the entire Temple stand in disuse and desertion for years, possibly decades, if the Jedi were forced to abandon Coruscant because of one misguided Master's actions? His mind said no, that it would not come to such drastic actions, but in his heart, Yoda felt something entirely different. Suddenly he was hit by the fragility of the Jedi, despite their enormous power. How easily all this could crumble, if the Council took the wrong steps in their investigation…in their leadership.

Yoda went to leave, but not before he picked up the last thought of the spectral Master, which lingered in the halls.

_Powerful he may be, but unless something is done to stop this, Master Windu will be as dead as the rest of the Jedi. _

A chill went down Yoda's spine, as for the first time in centuries he felt something which he rarely felt with regards to the future.

Fear.

* * *

At around noon of that day, Anakin arrived at Senator Amidala's apartment. Pulling up in his speeder, he parked the modified vehicle and came in from the veranda. 

He was looking forward to seeing his angel. Something about the meeting with Yoda had set his spirit free from the grasp of that terrible nightmare. His prior night with Padme was fraught with tension and confusion. He had spent half the night worrying what this vision meant for his future…for their future, instead of dreaming pleasantly over their time together. Not the ending he anticipated after such a wonderful evening together.

But now he felt lighter, more confident of himself than he had in a long time. Because Yoda was right, he did have a choice. The darkness was there, waiting to seize him at the right moment. He had grown more aware of it with every subsequent battle with the Separatists. The dark side was growing, spurred on by the fires of the Sith's manipulations, but that didn't mean he had to give into it.

Yoda's advice was unexpected. He was not used to a Jedi who was a Council member talking in a reassuring manner. That was something he expected more from Chancellor Palpatine.

He wondered if the Chancellor would have given him the same advice, or whether he would have told Anakin to worry about the unsettling vision…

Usually Anakin went to the Chancellor before anyone. Before Padme, even. Palpatine was an experienced, intelligent man. Sometimes it appeared like he knew everything. He was encouraging and insightful, and unlike the Jedi, he wasn't trapped by an archaic moral code. However, this was not something the Chancellor would likely understand. Palpatine was a great man, but he was no Jedi. He had no concept of foreseeing the future, or the knowledge of how torturous that experience was.

For that same reason, he couldn't tell Padme either. Although she would want him to share everything about himself with her, this was simply an aspect of his life Padme could not be a part of. To her, dreams were just dreams, not visions of a nightmarish future to come.

Everything was fine for now, though. Who would've thought Yoda, of all people, would have that effect in him? Wait until he told his angel…

His angel…he was looking forward to surprising her. Reaching out with his senses, Anakin located her presence. She was very nearby, talking with one of her staff. As always, she was a glow of radiance standing out from the usual aura of an average sentient. Anakin wanted nothing more than to see the look of surprise on her angelic face when he walked in through that door.

She was in the common room, standing next to one of her guards – Typho, in fact. What they were discussing he had no idea, but whatever the topic at hand, it was quickly forgotten the moment he made his presence known. Anakin entered the room as casually as possible, putting on his usual air of confidence. Padme's head swirled in his direction at the swoosh of the door….and her beautiful lips widened into an excited smile.

"Anakin?"

"Hi angel," Anakin grinned.

"Anakin!" Padme rushed into his arms. Anakin gave a subtle signal with his hand that told the guard captain it was all right to leave. Typho nodded his agreement, silently leaving the room.

"I miss you," Padme said, leaning into her husband's embrace.

"I missed you too," Anakin replied.

Padme pulled back slightly. "What are you doing here so early? I thought you had a meeting today?"

"I did. I got out early," Anakin smiled. "Besides, there's not much going today. Nothing that can't wait, anyway."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"So I was wondering, do you want to out to lunch today?"

"I'd love to. But, aren't you worried about us being spotted?"

Her husband gave a shake of his head. "I have my ways. We could go somewhere private. Somewhere isolated and quiet where we won't be bothered. How about a picnic at the Coruscant Gardens?"

"Oh Anakin…a picnic at the Gardens? That's a wonderful idea."

The Coruscant Gardens were absolutely massive in their scope. One could easily get lost if you chose to navigate them on foot. Covering a 25 mile radius in a corner of the western hemisphere, the Gardens were an excellent place to retreat to for some privacy outside of one's home, with many isolated pockets to accommodate such desires. You could be close in proximity to hundreds of people you knew, or knew you, and never even know it. It was the perfect place to go for a nice, quiet picnic in the city.

"I knew you'd think so," Anakin said smugly. "When do we leave?"

"In a few minutes, my love. I have to leave words with the handmaidens. Are you sure it's all right? I wouldn't want you to be disturbed during our time together."

"Trust me, it's okay. There's not much going on over there. It was a rather boring day."

Padme wasn't so sure. But she wasn't in the mood to argue with him. Right now, she just wanted to spend time with her husband.

"So, what was your day like?" Anakin chimed in. "Did anything eventful happen?"

The smile fell from Padme's face. She recalled the conversation she had had that morning, one that shattered everything she thought she knew about the Chancellor.

"_Now, if you just sit down and listen to me, I will explain why we believe this theory is correct," Summers stated. Padme did as asked and soon the aide began his explanation of this incredible charge against the Chancellor." _

"_As you know, the Senator has never been a supporter of Palpatine. He believed him to be far more ambitious than meets the eye. While the Senator himself is an ambitious man, Bel Iblis believed that Palpatine's ambitions could pose a threat to the Republic. When he withdrew Corellia from the Republic Senate, he vowed to keep an eye on things despite the planet's isolated state."_

"_For the past several years, we have been monitoring the situation with the Chancellor. Two months ago, we intercepted a transmission from the Separatists. It was highly encrypted and aimed at an undisclosed location. What was an unusual was that we had never seen this type of encryption before, even among the top level codes used by the Separatists. We had a veritable mystery on our hands, and so we vowed to solve it." _

"_Because the Senator is in charge of protecting our planet from outside threats, we did not pass this on to the Republic, as we normally might do. The safety of the Corellian people comes first, before the welfare of the general galaxy. The Senator had an odd feeling about this transmission and so he hired a decrypt team of top level slicers to decode it. A few days ago we succeeded."_

"_The transmission contained a message from Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation to an individual tentatively identified as Darth Sidious. Based on his look and overall manner, we can only assume that this is the Sith Lord behind the Separatist movement, of whom there are rumors of amongst the Jedi. The message made numerous references to him being Gunray's master and the master of Count Dooku, whom you know from Jedi info is a Sith apprentice."_

_That alone would have been shocking enough. But Summers did not stop there. _

_"Using the decrypt team we put together, we were able to track the message to remote location on Coruscant, and from there to its ultimate destination in the planet's Senatorial district."_

"_It was Chancellor Palpatine's office."_

_Padme drew back in shock. "No…that…that cannot be."_

_"I assure you, Senator, we are not making this up. We would not bring this up unless we were absolutely certain."_

_Padme shook her head. "No….you must be mistaken," she said adamantly. _

_"There is no mistake, Senator. Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord. Whether you believe it or not doesn't change the truth."_

"Padme? Is everything all right?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, Ani," Padme cleared away the troubling thoughts. "I kind of drifted off there for a moment."

Anakin stared intently at her. "Did something happen?"

_There is no mistake, Senator. He is the Sith Lord…_

"No, of course not. It's just…it was a long day in the Senate. There's nothing but bickering and arguments over the most meaningless matters, and no one seems to want to address the real issues facing the galaxy," Padme lied, falling back on an old excuse. Politics. Yes, that was something she could always use to hide what was troubling her, especially given that it was partly correct in most cases. Not quite a lie, not quite the truth. What was it the Jedi were fond of saying? The truth from a certain point of view?

"I see," Anakin replied.

She was hiding something, he was sure of it. However, if Padme didn't want to talk about her, he wasn't going to pressure her. He would just have to wait until she was comfortable enough to have an open conversation.

"I guess it's up to me to make you feel better," he said, putting on a wide grin. Like Padme, he too was skilled at hiding his true feelings…when he chose to do so. "A job I do particularly well, if I might add."

"That you do," Padme agreed with a smile.

They talked for a bit longer before Anakin went to check on some things prior to their departure. Padme uttered an enormous sigh of relief. She was utterly glad he didn't pursue his line of questioning further. It wasn't that she didn't want to confide in him. She did, because this was something he definitely needed to know. And yet, she found something holding her back.

Soon afterwards, Captain Typho walked back into the room. Judging by Anakin's lack of reaction as he passed him by in the hall, he quickly surmised what happened. The look he gave Amidala was one interest and disapproval.

"You didn't tell him, milady."

The Senator looked into his curious eyes and found herself dismayed by her lack of courage. Padme exhaled heavily, as if the weight of the galaxy were on her shoulders. "I couldn't. Not at this time."

He was so happy, so full of confidence and joy. Anakin was rarely happy. Most of the time he was morose about leaving her, or upset at what he saw as foolishness on the part of the Jedi Council. Padme couldn't ruin that for him. To tell him that him that his friend Palpatine was a liar…that he was in fact the monster behind this whole destructive war…it would break Anakin's heart.

"He has to know," Typho stated.

Another thought suddenly struck Padme. "And what if he doesn't believe me?" Palpatine was his friend. His best friend, in fact. Anakin confided in him, in ways that often worried Padme. Would he be willing to believe the worst about his so-called _friend_? "We have no proof of this besides the accusation and the information Bel Iblis has gathered, information which we conveniently cannot show Anakin. And even if we could, who's to say Anakin would believe us? Palpatine is his friend."

"Yes, but you are his wife," Typho pointed out. "He should be able to trust your judgment above all, including Chancellor Palpatine's.

"I hope so," Padme replied. It was a sobering idea, and one that Padme Amidala didn't want to consider. The thought that her beloved husband could believe that monster over her, was almost too much for the troubled senator to bear. And yet, it was not a possibility she could deny. Not after so many times that Anakin defended the Chancellor so fiercely.

"Captain Typho?"

"Yes, milady?"

"Why did you get so aggressive when Summers brought up the possibility?" Padme asked curiously.

Typho looked distinctly uncomfortable under her inquisitive gaze. "I didn't want to believe it was possible. What he said about the Chancellor being so corrupt…it goes against everything I've been taught to believe. The Naboo are supposed to be a peaceful people. I know we have our criminals and our scoundrels, but we are generally a peace loving society. I didn't want to believe someone from Naboo could be capable of such… inhuman evil."

"I understand, Captain," Padme said sympathetically. "However, we should not assume such things about someone simply because they are Naboo. That's the same thing the Jedi said about Count Dooku, and look how that turned out. And I don't believe I need to remind you about our illustrious King Veruna," she chided him.

She said the last few words with an air of sarcasm, no doubt a hint as to the scorn she still carried for the much maligned king. Much like other Nabooans, she did not appreciate the damage the disgraceful, greedy monarch did to Naboo's reputation and safety. While she understood Typho's desire to believe the best about his fellow man, she was in a position to know full well that not all of Naboo's citizens wanted the best for their planet. King Veruna was one such man, during his time of reign. Palpatine was clearly another.

Typho grimaced, clearly recalling the days of the exiled king. "Point well taken, milady."

Amidala walked over to the window overlooking the cityscape. Such beauty and precision…though it was nothing like Naboo, Coruscant was beautiful in its own right. It was an astounding blend of technological achievement and hard work; a testament to man's ingenuity, as well as that of countless other species throughout the galaxy. Here was where the beacon of democracy shined at its brightest, once, before this horribly destructive war engulfed the whole galaxy. Now all of that was tainted, stained with the shadow of a man so ambitious and so corrupt, it would probably take all their combined efforts to remove him from office.

"I hope Anakin sees my point as well," Padme murmured to her bodyguard.

"You have to tell him," Typho said.

"And I will," Padme assured him. She was making excuses earlier. Like it or not, the fact remained she had to tell Anakin of what she'd learned today. It was her duty as a senator and a lover to inform him of his friend's duplicitous nature. Whether it caused some friction between them or not was a different question altogether, though.

She would just have to hope for the best.

"Padme?"

Padme Amidala Skywalker turned at Anakin's deep voice. Looking at his smiling face, the senator made a decision. She would tell him…later, once they had enjoyed their time together.

The galaxy could wait. Right now, she had a picnic to go to.

* * *

In a corner of the Fobosi district, on one of Coruscant's lower levels, there lurked a building which had not been occupied for some time. Discreet, unassuming; the building was a perfect place to hide for someone seeking to avoid attention. Once it was an office building for a speeder company on Coruscant. Over the past few days, it had served as a hideaway for a man who, by all rights, should never have seen a speeder in the first place.

Chris Summers walked the corridors of the unanticipated hideout, feeling an exultant sense of triumph. They'd bought it. He wasn't sure the 'evidence' he'd provided would stand up to close scrutiny by a senator. Much to his relief, Amidala suspected nothing.

He'd have to thank John and his people for the document. Distantly he wondered how they obtained Bel Iblis' personal seal. For them to produce his signature so convincingly meant they had to be very close to the senator. Or else, they'd brainwashed the man completely. He wondered what they wanted with Corellia. There was nothing there besides wannabe smugglers and a stringent security force, from what he gathered. He was afraid to ask. There was no telling what those beings might be up to, given their propensity for experiments.

He recalled the conversation he'd had with Amidala. To his credit, he had done an admirable job of selling his story.

_"Now, if you just sit down and listen to me, I will explain why we believe this theory is correct," Summers stated. _

_Amidala took a seat as directed . Chris gradually explained the 'facts' behind his account, going over every detail. And when he finished with the incredible story, Amidala was predictably stunned. _

_"No…that…that cannot be." _

_ "I assure you, Senator, we are not making this up. We would not bring this up unless we were absolutely certain." _

_ Padme shook her head. "No….you must be mistaken," she said adamantly. _

_ "There is no mistake, Senator. Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord. Whether you believe it or not doesn't change the truth."_

_Amidala drew back in a state of shock. She seemed to go over what he was telling her, no doubt trying to find flaw with his argument. Too bad for her, he had gone over every detail of the account, to ensure he avoided any slip-ups. _

_ "But…but how can that be? We would have known. The Senate would have known. There are far too many people keeping tabs on Palpatine to be fooled by such a façade," Padme argued. _

_ "The Chancellor is more resourceful than you think," Chris retorted. He continued his unprecedented revelation._

_"Twelve years ago, the Trade Federation launched an invasion of Naboo. As you well know, the Federation wanted to seize the planet and use it as a foundry for its production of battle droids," he explained, satisfied when Amidala nodded her understanding. _

_"Everyone assumed that greed with the main motivation for the invasion. What they didn't know was that then-Senator Palpatine himself orchestrated the invasion, under the guise of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. The Neimoidians were following his orders by invading the planet." _

_Padme's mouth fell open. "But why would the senator threaten his own planet?" she asked in confusion._

_"Because of the opportunity it presented. He saw it as a chance to further another of the steps in his plan. He knew that you would turn to him for help when your planet was invaded. By manipulating the Neimoidians, he was able to place himself in a position where he would look very sympathetic to the Senate." _

_ "But that still doesn't explain what he would have to gain from all this maneuvering," Padme remarked. _

_"Think about it. Palpatine had quietly been gathering support in the Senate, establishing himself as a person who could be trusted and relied upon. After you called the vote of No Confidence in Valorum, he used that support to get himself nominated for Supreme Chancellor, knowing he would win thanks to his manipulations. He used you Padme, and you fell right into his little game," Chris explained, using her name to emphasize how serious this was. Not many people used Amidala's her real name when addressing her, he wagered. _

_ Padme hesitated to respond. "I…I don't know." _

_ "The Viceroy of the Trade Federation made a deal with the Dark Lord. In exchange for protection from the Senate, they would invade Naboo as per his orders," Chris stated more firmly. She was trying to deny it to herself, Summers could tell. But he wasn't going to ease up on her. _

_"Only when they realized they'd been abandoned did they turn to the Separatist movement. Except…that Dooku was already working for Darth Sidious, and they quickly came to realize that. They are now permanently entrenched under Sidious' command. They only thing they don't know is that Palpatine himself is the monster they are serving." Chris chuckled with ironic amusement. "They think they're fighting the Republic. Oh no. They're fighting the Jedi alone. It is Sidious who is destroying the Republic, from the inside out. Soon he will declare himself an emperor of the galaxy, once the Senate has surrendered all its power to him." _

_ Padme gaped in denial. "The Senate would never agree to such a ridiculous request!" _

_ "Yes they would," her opponent retaliated. "They would because they think he is a good man, who only cares about the Republic. Everything he does is in their own best interests," the aide stated mockingly. Chris' words were biting with sarcasm. _

_ "Face it Padme, your Senate has surrendered more power to Palpatine in the past few months than the leaders created at the beginning of the Republic. How much authority does the Senate have left?" Chris gave her a knowing look. "Can you honestly sit there and tell me that if Palpatine presented them with a request like that, however ridiculous, they would not grant it to him? All in the name of 'security'?" _

_ No, she couldn't. And in reading her face, Chris could see why: Because what he was saying made sense. Perhaps she'd even thought of this herself. She just never had the courage to admit it to herself, until now. _

_Padme seemed to consider what he had said. He could almost see the gears working in her mind, until she finally reached a more open state of mind. _

_"This all sounds very compelling, to be sure. You make a good argument. But how do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know that the Senator isn't plotting against Palpatine to replace him, and not for the sake of the Republic?" she argued. _

_ "You don't," Summers told her bluntly. "But you do know the Senator is a man of character and you know the information we have access too. All you have to do is trust that we are doing this only for the sake of the Republic." That, at least, was not a lie. He was truly doing this for the sake of the Republic, not for any sort of personal glory whatsoever. _

_ "And how do I know that you're not an agent of Palpatine himself, trying to spur me into taking action against him so he can have me and the others arrested for treason?"_

Very good question, _Chris thought to himself._

_"Because if I was an agent in Palpatine's employment, I would not have told you he was the Sith Lord. I would have given you some hint about the Chancellor's plans and let you draw your own conclusions. This is something that would be devastating to the Chancellor's reputation, if the right parties got a hold of it." _

_"And why did you come to me then?" _

_ "Because you are the only one in position to do something about this. You have the contacts to the senators that matter and you have considerably influence among the Jedi Order. The Jedi need to have approval from the Senate if they are to succeed. Otherwise they'd be working against the Senate, and there's no way Palpatine will get ousted from power." _

_ She was close, he could feel it. She was close to giving in. All she needed was a push in the right direction. _

_ "I'm giving you a chance to save your people, Senator. Palpatine no doubt has plans for them too. The sooner you act against him, the sooner they'll be safe. All you have to do is trust me," Chris stated quietly. _

_ "If this is so important, why didn't Bel iblis come to tell me himself?" _

_"You're stalling, Senator. We've been over this before. The Senator is in grave danger at the moment. He cannot afford to make the trip himself. That's why he sent me and his letter of verification. You'll have just to trust me," Chris explained. _

_There it was again. Trust. Trust in this man who she barely knew, over the Chancellor who had manipulated her in the past. _

_"And what do you want from me? Besides the obvious, that is." _

_ "I need you to get me a meeting with the Jedi Council," Chris stated briskly. "The Council has to be warned about this." _

_ "Why can't you do it?" _

_ "Unfortunately the Council is not very receptive to systems outside the Republic. Corellia closed itself off from the politics. Therefore, the Council will not trust a representative from there," Chris stated plainly, giving her no illusions about what he meant. The Council members were elitists – closed minded, arrogant; unavailable to anyone except those with the highest authority. _

_It was a long time before the senator responded. "I'll see what I can do," Padme replied uncertainly. _

_Her voice was shaky, unsure of herself. But in her eyes, he could see that he'd done it. She was convinced. The line about her people pulled her through. Padme Amidala was not one to put her people's safety below her own. If there was even a shred of a chance any of this was true, she had to check it out. _

_ "Where are you staying?" Padme asked. _

_"I cannot divulge that at this time. The Chancellor has eyes everywhere." He handed her a small cylindrical device. _

_"Here, take this comlink. I can be reached at this frequency at any time. Call me when you have approval." _

_ Amidala saw a sequence of numbers on the tiny screen of the comlink. She nodded quietly. _

_"I'll take my leave. I've already stayed too long in this place. We don't want Palpatine getting the wrong idea." _

_He was tempted to smile, but he held it back. He didn't want Padme getting the wrong idea either. This wasn't a joke. Not in the slightest. _

_"Remember, be careful what you say. And be careful who you trust. Don't trust anyone outside your sphere of influence." He paused to look back at her. "And don't trust anyone with strong ties to Palpatine. Even if they are your friends." _

_He nodded at Amidala and then at Captain Typho, who had remained quiet through the whole exchange. _

_"Good day, Senator. Captain." _

_He left the senator's apartment before either of them could interrogate him further. _

He supposed he should feel guilty for feeding her a pack of lies, but that wasn't important at the moment. What mattered was that Palpatine was exposed for who he was. For no matter what he told Padme, the fact remained that Palpatine was the Sith Lord. There was no doubt about that whatsoever. It wouldn't be the first time in history that a great crisis was averted by a lie.

He began setting up the comm. device he'd brought with him. It was a communications array he'd acquired on one of his journeys, one that would allow him to breach the barriers between dimensions and communicate with his home.

Suddenly he heard a minute noise in the air. It was coming from nearby and getting louder by the second. Something was off. His danger sense went into overdrive as he realized what was wrong. Someone was coming.

He hid in a darkened corner of the room. Moments later, two armor clad soldiers in white entered the room. They were armed with some kind of wicked-looking blasters, ones no sane being had any desire to face up close in person. They held their patented rifles across their chests, looking every bit as intimidating as the clones' reputation preceded.

The troopers moved gradually across the area, scanning the surroundings for any signs of life.

"Is anyone here?" one of them called out, his voice sounding distinctly metallic.

The soldier grew frustrated when no one responded.

"Come out and show yourself!" he tried again.

One of the troopers noticed the comm. device lying on the ground.

"Hey, look at this."

The trooper knelt over the comm. device to examine the object, while the other one remained on guard. From the shadows, a silent observer listened in on their conversation.

"What is it?"

"It looks like a communications array. It doesn't look like it's been used."

The trooper peered closer at the device.

"Strange. I've never seen one of this making before," he said, examining the markings around the device.

"Well, we'll figure it out later," his partner replied, a bit impatiently. "You see anything when we were coming in?"

"No. Maybe there's no one here," the knelt trooper muttered.

"Impossible. The Chancellor said this was the right location," the lead trooper said. "Remember, our orders are to execute the target on sight,"

That did it for the person in the shadows. The figure reached for an object to the side.

"Yes sir," the other clone trooper muttered, standing up from the comm. device.

"Lock the doors. I know he's here."

The second trooper set about his task.

"We're not leaving until we've searched every inch of this office," the lead trooper ordered.

He never saw the threat coming.

A fearsome sword came swirling through the air, striking the soldier straight in the abdomen. The trooper screamed as he collapsed to the ground, holding the merciless weapon – the sword had pierced right through his armor. His compatriot reacted immediately, glancing wildly about the room. He aimed his rifle with trembling hands, only to see a man in aide's uniform coming at him with surprising speed. Before he could even target the enemy, his adversary was on him. The man easily pushed away his blaster and delivered an upwards kick to the underside of his helmet that sent him crashing downwards. Grabbing the troopers' rifle, the man smashed it against the side of his helmet, rendering him unconscious.

To the right, the wounded trooper struggled to remove the object in his torso, groaning in pain as the sword slid out slightly from his abdomen. In desperation, he reached for his blaster rifle, intent on finishing his mission despite his injury. Big mistake. Acting rapidly, Chris grabbed the sword and plunged it into his chest. The trooper gave one last spasm before his body fell still.

Chris looked at the bodies of the fallen clone troopers, particularly the one he'd impaled. He was dead, obviously. His compatriot lay equally still, presumably unconscious. Chris couldn't bring himself to care. He hadn't wanted to do this; he didn't want to kill the clone, but was obvious they were not going to let him leave alive.

Chris swore to himself as he glanced again at the clone troopers. Their presence here could only mean one thing. Sidious was on to him. Not a big surprise. It was only a matter of time until the Sith Lord became aware of his presence here. He just hadn't expected it would be this soon.

He would have to deal with this. So Sidious wanted to lure him out into the open? Very well. It was time to put the second part of his plan into action. If Sidious thought he was going to back down based on a couple of lackeys, then he was sorely mistaken. He might have been acquainted with a lot of these technologies, but he was hardly defenseless, and he was not some incompetent fool from a backwater planet. If the Sith Lord sent more minions after him, so be it. He would dispose of them as easily as he had these two.

Nothing would stop him from warning the Jedi about the enemy in their midst. It was the least he could do for them.


	8. Backlash against the Real

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and Lucasfilm. I'm merely borrowing them for the sake of creating an alternate universe. I have no money and I'm making no money whatsoever off this fic.

AN: Hi everybody! Thanks for the reviews. In response to Richard Cypher, the word is Nabooan. I used to get confused by this too, until I looked it up on Wookieepedia. Basically, what happens is that the royal cruisers we see in the movies are from a planet called Nubia. So when Watto tells Qui-Gon it's a Nubian, he literally means it's from Nubia. The Naboo don't manufacture those beautiful cruisers you see on their own. Instead they are made on Nubia, where the manufacturer is. The confusion comes from the two planets being so similar in name, and from us not not getting any hint as to what the Naboo call their homegrown products and citizens in the movies. I hope that clears that up.

Thaks for being patient with the fic. I appreciate it. It's not easy to juggle multiple stories, but I do my best. I've also added another scene to the previous chapter. It's one that was supposed to be there originally, but I had to cut it out in order to post quicker. There's no need to re-read the whole chapter. Just skip to the end of the chapter, after the scene where Anakin and Padme head off on their picnic.

There's a love scene in this chapter that's been edited for content. As usual, the completed version can be found at Andrea's Yahoo group, which is linked to in my profile. I urge you to check it out, as there are a lot of cool stories on there.

Incidentally, I finally got Lego Star Wars for the PS2. It's pretty good so far. It's not challenging at all, but then, that's what Lego's all about. It's interesting seeing everything from a Lego perspective. Even Jar Jar is cute in Lego form.

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Backlash against the Real**

The apartment was dark by the time Anakin and Padme got back. The servants had retired to their quarters, leaving Padme and her husband with a rare amount of privacy. With the exception of the few guards on duty, they were alone, something they rarely found themselves nowadays.

The couple entered the living room of their apartment with a feeling of subtle euphoria. Though they were not blatantly overjoyed, both were happier than they'd been in a long, long time. While Anakin went to change, Padme thought back to their very recent activities.

Anakin's idea turned out to be a good one. They had spent the several hours at the Gardens, enjoying each other's company. It was a welcome break for both of them to be around someone they loved, instead of overzealous senators, sycophantic aides or an overbearing Master. She smiled as she recalled how things had escalated from their modest beginnings.

_

* * *

__With a breath of exhilaration, Padme Amidala pondered how lucky she was to have a husband who was so romantic. _

_The Coruscant Gardens were among the most beautiful in the galaxy. Made up of flora of many varied worlds in the galactic community, the Gardens were considered a valuable treasure in the Republic. Padme inhaled the fresh scene of unmitigated nature at its finest. The air was so clean down here, so unlike the filtered air of Coruscant's atmosphere. The beauty of the blended flora was even more incredible. Trees and plants of every conceivable kind were everywhere she looked, imbuing her with a sense of something utterly intangible. Although it was artificial in origin, in the sense that the plants did not grow naturally on Coruscant, the foliage worked together to create an environment that was drastically different from the rest of the city. It was a self-contained biosphere, separate from the duracrete of Coruscant's main cityscape, and it showed. And to think it was all Anakin's idea to come here. How fortunate was she, to have a husband who was so in tune with her needs? _

_They continued until they came to an isolated area of the Gardens. The area was a pocket of beauty hidden in the trees, with a modestly carved stone bench nearby. _

_Padme laid a blanket down in the path. The dirt was hard under their feet, but the blanket helped somewhat. They had brought along a basket full of food and other goodies, among them a bottle of eldenberry wine. She looked forward to tasting it while she dined in this most beautiful of places. _

_She began taking items out of the basket. Sandwiches, treats, all prepared by Padme. Granted they were simple things, but she had become quite an adept cook over the past few months. She couldn't always rely on her handmaidens to do the cooking. She felt guilty letting them do all the work, even though it was their job. And Ani couldn't be counted on for anything food-related. The only thing Anakin knew how to cook was survival rations. Someone had to keep them fed. _

_She took out two glasses she brought from home and grabbed the bottle Anakin had opened. Pouring herself a glass, she handed one to Anakin. They downed the sparkling beverage with a simple toast. Anakin smiled at his beloved as he sipped the drink, a smile which Padme eagerly returned. The wine was Anakin's favorite, and Padme herself was developing a taste for it. Combined with the incredible surroundings they were in, it set the tone for an astoundingly romantic experience. _

_Anakin smiled as he took a bite of one of the sandwiches Padme had made, one of several he had consumed. Those little treats were tasty. Granted they were leftovers; they hadn't had time to make anything else before they left. But still, they were delicious. Padme conversed with him about one thing or another; he wasn't sure. He was still engrossed in her beauty. _

_He wondered what was disturbing her earlier. There was something there she wasn't telling him. Why couldn't she be honest with him, he wondered? Was she that scared of his reaction? Whatever it was, it must be unpleasant. Why else would she not tell him about it? Then again, perhaps it was something in the Senate. In which case, he understood why she would not tell him. Anakin found the politics of the Republic boring. If it were up to him, he would dismiss the senators and just have everyone listen to the Chancellor. He could handle whatever it was that ailed the galaxy. _

_"Ani?"_

_Anakin shook away his musings. "Hmm?"_

_"Are you listening to me?" Padme gave him an annoyed glance. _

_"Sorry, angel. I was distracted," Anakin replied. _

"_By what?"_

"_By you, of course. What else is there?" _

_Padme blushed under his matter-of-fact compliment. "Ani…"_

"_Look around you, Padme. All these trees and flowers, so elegant in their gorgeousness. And yet, you're still the most beautiful thing in this place."_

"_Anakin," Padme got closer to him. "You are way too smooth for your own good."_

"_Okay, so that was a little…corny," Anakin admitted. _

"_Very. But you're still the most romantic guy around," the senator said. Their lips collided as Padme leaned in for a kiss. Anakin met her halfway, capturing her mouth in a gentle, casual hold, content to wait before letting things progress any further. Anakin cleared the unsettling thoughts from his mind. Whatever his angel was hiding could wait. He focused on what Padme was saying, content to savor the pleasure of her titillating presence. _

_It was amazing how quickly time flew by when they were enjoying themselves. They partook of the delicious meal Padme had brought, talking about everything from Naboo and Padme's home to the most recent occurrences going on at the Jedi. By the time they were almost finished, two hours had passed in an almost too quick fashion._

_Padme downed the last of her wine. She took a deep breath, inhaling the vibrant fragrance of the flowers nearby. This was so sweet and invigorating. It reminded her of Naboo. There was a quiet, placid feeling to this place that soothed her soul and quenched her thirst for tranquility, something that Padme had only found on her beloved home planet. She utterly grateful to Anakin for letting her experience this. She set down the wine glass and regarded her handsome husband. _

_"Thank you for bringing me here," she stated, staring at him with complete devotion in her eyes. _

_"My pleasure," Anakin replied. _

_There was something about their connection in that moment; the way they completely connected with the other's needs. Perhaps it was the magic of the moment. They were in a beautiful garden, in a place where they were finally alone. No nearby guards, no snooping handmaidens trying to get a glimpse at their mistress' lover. Just the two of them, alone with their feelings. _

_Whatever the reason, they found themselves drawn into a passionate kiss. Anakin slipped his arms around her, holding her in a possessive grasp. Their lips brushed against each other repeatedly as they exchanged kiss after kiss. The last one was a deeper, harder expression as their tongues slipped into the other's mouth, mingling with a soft, relaxing, yet passionate enthusiasm. Anakin pulled back from the kiss, leaving Padme to catch her breath. _

_"Come here," Anakin said, gesturing with his chin at the nearby bench. _

_Taking his hand, Padme accompanied him to the carved seating. She took a seat opposite her husband on the right. _

_"I've missed you so much," Anakin said. _

_"I've missed you too. It was awful being alone in that apartment, with mo one but the droids and my handmaidens to keep me company," Padme replied. _

_Anakin took her hands in his. "You know I love you, right?"_

_"Of course."_

_"You can tell me anything."_

_"I know."_

_A thought crossed Padme's mind. Did he suspect? _

_Of course, he did. Anakin suspected something every time she wasn't acting like herself. He was too in touch with her mood. And that little slip-up earlier in the apartment was grounds for that suspicion. Hesitating when he asked her if she was all right was something Padme did not do. _

_Still, at least he suspected nothing serious. Otherwise, he would have kept on questioning her like he usually did. Not harshly, not angrily; just persistently. _

"_Force, you're so beautiful," Anakin murmured. He planted a kiss on her hand. "So passionate." Another kiss. "So perfect." He kissed her hand again, before pressing his lips softly against hers. _

_Padme thought about the news she'd received that morning. How it had shaken her to her very core. That seemed so far away now, lost beneath the sea of his affections. The Republic could wait. Right now she would enjoy the time she had with her husband. _

_Anakin stood up from the hard bench. He placed a few meager steps as stopped, as if he was thinking about something. Padme scooted over, allowing him to sit opposite her in her previous spot. _

"_I have an idea," he said. Padme leaned in close, anticipating excitedly what he was about to say. _

"_Why don't we…you know," Anakin suggested, hoping Padme would catch on. _

_The look on Anakin's face told plainly what he was insinuating. Padme widened her eyes. _

"_Right here?" she asked in shock. Anakin nodded. _

"_We're out in the open!" she protested. _

"_We're alone in this place. That's why we came here in the first place."_

"_What if someone sees us?" she tried again. _

"_There's no one around for miles. Besides, I'd sense it if someone were nearby," Anakin assured her._

_Padme shook her head in disbelief. This was crazy. But then, Anakin was crazy. It was one of the things she loved about him. He knew how to tell her to have fun. _

_Could she do this? She called a conversation she once had with Anakin about how she never took risks. She was great on the battlefield and the political spectrum, but when it came to her personal life, she always played it safe. Marrying a Jedi Knight notwithstanding, she wasn't what one would call adventurous about relationships. _

_Why not? Amidala thought. Anakin was right. She rarely gave into temptation when it came to their intimate activities, not allowing herself to express her fantasies, to go beyond the norm of what was admittedly a very exciting lovemaking style already. _

_She traded another sensual kiss with her Jedi husband. The smile on his face was evident. Clearly he was excited about this. Padme was not about to disappoint him. Why shouldn't she indulge her wilder side just this once?_

_Padme lay back on the simplistically carved rock. The stone bench was hard, but now impossibly so. She would just have to make due with her discomfort. Anakin climbed onto the bench, sitting on his knees just between her spread legs. She allowed Ani to capture her in a deep kiss, shifting to accommodate his weight as he lowered his body over her. She held him in a firm embrace, molding his body against hers. They quickly fell into the patterns of their lovemaking. He kissed alongside of her jaw line, flowing down her neck. Padme gasped as he sucked hard on the sensitive skin. He knew all her sensitive spots. Her dress prevented him from kissing her chest, but even so, Anakin felt her hardened peaks poking through the fabric. _

_He smirked as he sensed plainly her arousal. Anakin moved down her body, making Padme wonder what he was up to. Her question was answered when he lifted his skirts over head. He dove under with undisguised glee, kissing her through her underwear. His hands skirted the sides of her hips, teasing at removing the garments. Padme shuddered at his warm breath on her crotch. She wished she could remove the dress that was concealing so much of her body. She was getting hot in this position. Unfortunately, the dress was too complex to remove in this setting. Besides, it wasn't exactly necessary for their activities. _

_Her husband pushed her skirts up above her thighs to get them out of the way. Anakin removed the thin panties and slid them off her legs. __Her husband pushed her skirts up above her thighs to get them out of the way. Anakin removed the thin panties and slid them off her legs. Taking in the sight of Padme's treasure, he eagerly settled between her thighs. Padme was in heaven as he went down on her, ravishing her with his mouth, stopping just before her point of release. Padme protested at the action, until she realized what he had planned. Time seemed to stop as they made love in the sanctuary of the Gardens, until they finally became one in their euphoria._

_They lay there in each other's arms, exhausted and content by their unexpected romp. Eventually they got up from their entangled position. Anakin fastened his trousers while Padme adjusted her skirts back to their original state. She didn't bother with her panties. They would just get wet from the results of their activities. Besides, nobody would notice. _

_They smiled at each other coyly, feeling a little embarrassed and a lot more mischievous. They couldn't believe they'd actually done something like this, even Anakin who suggested the idea. Padme gave her husband a quick kiss, impressed once again by the way he had gotten her to cut loose._

_After their lovemaking, they spent the next few hours relaxing in the Gardens' tranquil environment, while Anakin kept one eyes out for anyone who might be near. Fortunately they remained undisturbed throughout their visit. Once they'd had their share of nature for the day, they left the Gardens and headed off to dinner at one of the few restaurants Padme could dine in without being bothered by the media. Anakin used a Force illusion to avert unwanted attention. It was a power that was discouraged by the Jedi and left one exhausted, but it was well worth it to dine with his angel in peace. _

_Dinner was an interesting experience, with both giving each other wry glances, still riding the high of their delightful affair at the Gardens. Both looked forward to their evening together, hoping things would proceed in a similar fashion once they had each other all to themselves._

* * *

Padme felt her face warm at the memory of their sultry encounter. Hopefully they would be able to make love again tonight, once they'd dealt with the matter of a certain revelation about the Chancellor. 

The moment she'd been dreading had arrived. She'd been putting off since that morning, trying to figure out the right time to divulge this incredibly disturbing information. But now she realized there would never be a better opportunity. They were alone, having spent a romantic day together where Anakin was reassured of her love. Surely he was confident of her devotion to him. Now would be the perfect time to tell him…if she could only bring herself to do it.

The sound of a door opening caught her off-guard. It was Captain Typho.

Padme quickly assumed the no-nonsense demeanor she used when addressing members of her guard. She had no idea he was still awake at this hour. Usually the security guards took rotating shifts. She would've thought Captain Typho would take the opportunity of her being away with Anakin to get some rest. Apparently not.

Worse still, she knew why he was here. There would be no weaseling out of this one for Padme Amidala. He had stayed awake all night to ensure she did what had to be done. While he was lenient earlier for the sake of curiosity, there was no way he was going to let her excuse herself out of it this time. This was a security threat, perhaps the greatest one they'd ever faced, and one that was particularly close to her husband. Regardless of his potential reaction, Anakin had to know.

"Milady," Captain Typho stated simply. That one statement conveyed innumerable words of meaning.

Padme swallowed down her fears. Anakin trusted her. She had to tell him. And so she would.

"I'm going to tell him," Padme told Captain Typho.

Typho nodded in approval. He exited without a word, leaving Padme to carry out her task.

Moments later, Anakin returned dressed in some sleep pants and his Jedi robe. He seemed surprise to see her standing there in her senatorial outfit. Usually her handmaidens were helping her out of the heavy dresses now, if he wasn't doing it himself.

"Angel? Are you coming to bed?" Anakin questioned.

Padme sighed. "No. Anakin, I have to talk to you," she turned towards her husband.

Anakin approached. It was about time.

Padme hesitated while she collected her thoughts. Where to begin? "Remember when you asked me this afternoon if there was something wrong, right after you got here?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I wasn't entirely truthful," Padme admitted. Anakin's face took on a confused look.

"About?"

"We had a man here from the Corellian system earlier, someone who was desperately in need of talking to us." She paused. "He had important news about the Chancellor."

Anakin stared at his beloved wife. He'd known she was hiding something, ever since he talked to her that afternoon. Yet hearing the confirmation of that, and that the secret had to do with the Chancellor, sparked a twinge of anger inside him. "You lied to me?" he asked, the hurt evident in his voice.

Padme avoided his gaze. "I didn't want you to worry unnecessarily," she said.

"He was an aide we ran into the Senate, working under the auspices of Bel Iblis," she continued, taking a few steps away from him. "He told us things…about the Senate, about Palpatine. And we believed him. We had no choice once he showed us the logic of their investigation."

"We?"

"Captain Typho and I. He was there while the conversation took place," Padme clarified.

"And what did this…man say about Chancellor Palpatine?"

The senator hesitated before answering. Boy, this was not going to be easy. Anakin trusted Palpatine. He was his closest friend next to her, possibly more so than Obi-Wan. Anakin trusted Palpatine beyond a shadow of a doubt. Despite all her warnings, and the warnings from Obi-Wan, he still saw the Chancellor as a good man, one who was his friend as well as mentor. She hated to shatter that trust, but Anakin left her no choice. He had to know the truth of his supposed "friendship" with the Chancellor.

"He said…" Padme took a deep breath. "He said Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord you've been searching for."

Anakin stared at her.

"I'm sorry Ani, I should have told you earlier," Padme apologized. "I just didn't know how to say it to you." She bit her bottom lip, anticipating the worst.

Anakin's reaction was unexpected. He began to laugh. Soon he was shaking with laughter, while Padme stared bewildered at him.

"Oh, that's a good one. Palpatine, a Sith Lord?" Anakin chortled. "Oh, you really had me going there, Padme. Come on, what's the matter?"

"Anakin, I'm not joking," Padme replied. "He showed me a letter from the Senator, one detailing everything he said was true. He told me about the Chancellor and his manipulations."

Anakin's laughter faded as he realized Padme was deadly serious. "You're serious about this? Padme, that's ridiculous!"

"Anakin, I know it's hard to believe, but if you'll just listen to all the facts--"

"Hard to believe? Padme, it's disgraceful! That someone would make an accusation like this against the Chancellor…it's absurd!" Anakin shook his head, trying to make sense of this. "The man's a liar, Padme. The Separatists are trying to cast doubt on the Chancellor's motives so that we follow his wisdom no longer. I can't believe you would believe this garbage!"

"He had a data pad with him, Anakin. One with the highest security clearance possible. Not to mention, the personal seal of Bel Iblis, the one he only uses for messages of the utmost priority," Padme tried to reason with him.

"Did you check to see if it was a forgery?"

"Of course. You think I don't know a forgery when I see one?" Padme questioned harshly. "I know the Senator's signature and data codes. It's my business to know these things," she replied, just as harshly.

But Anakin wasn't listening. He faced away from Padme, thinking over something troubling. "Bel Iblis…" he muttered to himself. "Wasn't he that senator who was always arguing with the Chancellor? The one who never approved of anything the Chancellor did?"

"Bel Iblis is a good man," Padme protested.

"Padme, he's jealous. He's jealous of the Chancellor's success. And he's a traitor. The Corellian system left us before the first battle even began. They turned their back on the Republic. They have a powerful military, and yet they hide behind their shields like cowards, doing nothing to help us against the Separatists. They are separatists, Padme, and they're probably working against us with the Separatist leaders. How can you trust someone like that?"

Padme gaped in disbelief. Was he really accusing a system acting in the best interests of its people of being traitors, in the name of defending that fraud they called the Chancellor? "Anakin, do you realize how ridiculous you sound?"

Anakin took offense at her accusation. "The only ridiculous thing is that you would fall for such a cheap trick by our enemies. This is nothing more than an attempt to undermine the integrity of the Chancellor. I can't believe that you would let yourself be drawn into this." Anakin shook his head. "I would have expected this from Organa and Mon Mothma. Not from you."

The senator's eyes narrowed. Even though she wasn't a Jedi, she sensed plainly Anakin's disapproval. "So I'm a disappointment now?" Padme asked. Anakin didn't answer. "Why? Because I dare to question the Chancellor like I actually have a mind of my own?"

Anakin drew back as if he'd been slapped. Padme immediately realized she'd made a mistake.

"Anakin, I'm sorry," she apologized. But Anakin would have none of it. He stormed into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Padme tried to in after him, but found the door was locked.

"Anakin!"

Padme banged on the door.

"Anakin, come on. I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. But we have to talk about this."

There was no response. Padme found herself frustrated by his inability to even consider that Palpatine was not what he seemed. Was he that faithful in the Chancellor, that even the idea of Palpatine being corrupt was unacceptable? Couldn't he see what the Chancellor was? Did the Chancellor have to murder the Jedi Order before Anakin would accept that he was a danger?

Moments later, Anakin emerged dressed fully in his Jedi uniform. He was still wearing the same sullen expression from before.

"Anakin, listen to me. Please. I know that it's hard to understand, but--"

"But nothing! Padme, I can't believe you would do something like this. How can you accuse the Chancellor of being something like that, based on what some stranger told you? Padme, the Chancellor is innocent."

"Anakin, the Chancellor is a tyrant! We've always known he was corrupt, ever since he started amassing those emergency powers. The only thing we were missing was the reason why he would do all this, when he already wielded such influence among the Senate. Now we know why."

Anakin turned to look at her, and in that moment, the former queen turned senator felt her heart nearly stop in her chest. Padme felt a chill go through her at the rage she saw lurking there behind Anakin's eyes. The moment passed, and the fire disappeared from his eyes. Anakin turned away, avoiding his angel's gaze.

"I can't deal with this," he said, marching towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Padme asked.

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Outside. Anywhere away from this place," Anakin replied tersely.

"Anakin!" Padme tried to stop him, but he was soon out of the apartment.

Padme stood still in the common room. She didn't move a muscle, made no effort to go after Anakin. His reaction had left her flabbergasted. She'd known there was a danger of him not believing her, but to react with so much vitriol? Rarely had she seen him so infuriated. She didn't know what to do. Should she go after Anakin and try to make him see the truth? But what if he refused to listen?

Another thought struck her, one that had not occurred to her before. What if he accused her of being a traitor to the Chancellor?

She didn't realize she was crying until her vision became blurred. Through the haze of tears she saw the door slide open. Captain Typho entered the room.

"Milady? I just saw Anakin pass by in the hall. He seemed upset. Is everything all right?"

Typho walked closer to the senator. The look on her face made it obvious what had happened.

"Milady?"

"He didn't believe me," Padme said.

Typho bowed his head. The sorrow was evident in her voice. She was crushed. He felt a surge of anger at the Jedi who called himself her husband. Was he that brainwashed by the Chancellor, that he would believe that snake over his own wife? Typho pursed his lips in disgust. He was as loyal as anyone to the Chancellor when it came to the office itself, but the man occupying it had proven himself unworthy of that office time and time again. Typho did not need any more convincing. He saw things clearly now.

Unfortunately, it seemed Anakin was disinclined to agree.

"Shall I get Dorme or one of the other handmaidens?" Typho questioned.

"No, that's okay," Padme said. Her voice broke on the words, coming out in a sob.

Typho looked distinctly uncomfortable. He had never seen his employer so emotional before. Padme's face looked stricken. She needed consolation, and he wasn't exactly sure how to comfort her. Besides, it would be highly inappropriate of him to comfort her. And if the Senator refused to speak to her handmaidens, then there wasn't much he could do. Choosing not to comment, he exited the room quietly and left the Senator to her privacy.

Padme wrapped her arms close to herself, feeling consumed by a sudden coldness. Tears slid down her cheeks and she made no effort to restrain them. Soon she was sobbing uncontrollably, overcome by the despondency of it all.

The apartment never felt so lonely.

* * *

Padme was already asleep by the time Anakin returned, for which Anakin was grateful. He had no desire to get into another argument. Once was enough, given the intensity of that debate. Stripping down from his Jedi uniform, he quietly crawled into bed with her. He might have been mad at her, but he wasn't going to leave her alone throughout the night. She was still his angel, after all. 

He was still incensed over her accusations about Palpatine. How dare she approach him with such a ridiculous claim? She knew his feelings about the Chancellor. Wasn't it enough that she constantly cast doubt on his relationship with the Chancellor, on account of those insipid colleagues of hers? Did she really have to question the man's integrity like that, with a claim that couldn't possibly be true?

It angered him to know she had such little faith in the Chancellor. Because more than anything, this called into question her belief in his abilities; his judgment. Anakin's senses told him the Chancellor was a good man. That should be enough for her. It wasn't, and it was clear that Padme did not trust him the way she should. If she did, she wouldn't question his judgment repeatedly like she did. He was her husband, for Force's sake.

Morning came too quickly for Anakin's taste. He didn't want to get up; didn't want to have to deal with the tension that would surely be between them. Unfortunately reality left him no choice.

Breakfast was a tense affair at the Skywalkers' that morning. They didn't speak to each other, made no acknowledgement of the other's presence. Wordlessly they went about their daily tasks, pretending as if the other wasn't even there. At one point Anakin received a call from Obi-Wan on his comlink. He quietly excused himself to take it. When the time came for them to part ways, they didn't even kiss each other goodbye. Such was the tension between them that they were reluctant to express a hint of the affection they usually shared.

Anakin walked the halls of the Jedi Temple with a fearsome step. The Jedi in his path were careful to avoid him – they recognized the angered expression of the Chosen One when they saw it. He was careful to tone down his anger, lest he get a lecture about the dark side from some pompous, hypocritical Jedi Master. Nonetheless, his morose visage made it clear that he did not want to be disturbed.

He wondered who he could talk to about this current development. Master Yoda had helped him with his previous issue. Perhaps he was worth a shot. Master Yoda hated the Chancellor, but there were ways around that. He didn't have to tell him it was about the Chancellor, only that he'd received some unsettling information about someone he cared about.

"Anakin," his old Master called out.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin greeted.

His old Master looked stern as always. Anakin was glad to see him, for once grateful that Obi-Wan's demeanor was so predictable. Obi-Wan would not turn on him with some unexpected ploy to discredit his friend. His Master hated the Chancellor and made no effort to disguise his taste for the politician. While the matter was usually a source of contention for them, this time Anakin was thankful he could predict his Master's reactions so easily. Anakin would not pry into his friendship with the Chancellor. Nor would he attempt to discredit the man without the Council's permission. He would simply warn Anakin about the Chancellor and leave it at that.

"Anakin, we have to talk," the older Jedi said.

Anakin nodded. He followed his Master he moved to a discreet corner of the hallway. They walked over to one of the windows overlooking the city. The massive windows gave a marvelous view of the duracrete landscape, reminding the Jedi of what they were sworn to protect. Billions of people relying on them for protection; one out of many thousands of worlds in the galaxy – a drop in the sea of life that was the Republic.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan sighed, wondering how he was going to phrase this. "Anakin, the Council is going to summon you to a meeting soon."

"Yes?"

"They're going to ask you certain questions, things that may seem intrusive," Obi-Wan told him.

"About what?"

"I cannot tell you that. However, I can tell you that I don't approve of this inquiry. I think there are ways to obtain this information without the Council going through this approach," he said, wasting little time in getting to the matter. He needed to disassociate himself from this travesty, from the guilt. It was the only way he could send Anakin into that room with a clear conscience.

Obi-Wan laid a hand down his Padawan's shoulder. "Anakin, I want you to know that this wasn't my idea. I was opposed to this from the very beginning."

"What are you talking about? Obi-Wan, can't you tell me anything about this meeting?" Anakin asked, confused.

"I'm afraid I cannot. I have not been granted permission to disclose the details of this meeting with you."

Anakin understood. "So this is one of the Council meetings where the Council makes some ridiculous request and you have no choice but to go along, after you've been blindsided with it?" Obi-Wan didn't answer. "Obi-Wan, what aren't you telling me? How serious is this?"

"Let's just say the Council has expressed concerns about a particular individual, concerns that they will try to alleviate with this meeting, with your help, of course," Obi-Wan replied reluctantly.

"I see," Anakin ground out, frustrated by his Master's evasiveness. So typical of Obi-Wan – a blatant half-truth, telling him nothing and something at the same time…

"Anakin, I didn't want to do this to you. You've more than earned my trust. But apparently, the Council doesn't feel the same. Please remember, it's for the greater good." Obi-Wan's expression conveyed a feeling that was a mix of pride and a considerable amount of concern. "Remember Anakin, I am in your corner. Always keep that in mind."

There was a lull while Anakin contemplated that.

"I have to get to the Council chambers. There are several things to discuss before we get to this matter," Obi-Wan declared. He gave no hint of how long it would be until that fateful meeting; he wasn't sure of that himself.

Anakin merely nodded. What else was there? Clearly Obi-Wan wasn't going to give out any more information.

"I'll see you at the Council meeting."

Anakin watched him go, feeling a profound sense of confusion mixed in with worry. That familiar sense of frustration he usually felt around his Master was asserting itself. What was Obi-Wan not telling him? Why did he have to be so cryptic about everything?

What was the Council up to this time?

He went over Obi-Wan's words about their inquiry, specifically the doubts about a "certain individual's" integrity. So it was him the Council was having doubts about? No surprise there. The Council had never trusted him. But then, why wouldn't Obi-Wan come right out and say it? It wasn't exactly a secret to either of them. Unless there was some particular reason for their suspicion this time. Or, was it someone he was connected to? Another thought struck him. Could it be Padme? Was the Council suspicious of her for some reason?

Alas, there was nothing he could do to prepare himself save for expecting the worst. Anakin shook his head, mystified and annoyed by the Council's manipulative ways. He felt like a child in the middle of a crowded marketplace, unsure of where to turn. Why the need for secrecy? What did they want him to do besides own up to their interrogation? Sure it was something he was something he would disapprove of, or else, there would be no need to go to such extreme lengths. A shudder went through Anakin at the thought of what the Council had planned.

He had a bad feeling about this.


End file.
